Don’t Forget to Recycle That Tree!

The holidays are a time of giving, this year give a gift to your local environment by recycling your Christmas tree! There are many ways to make your holidays more eco-friendly, like recycling wrapping paper and gift boxes, but often people forget that their tree  can be recycled too. Trees and other yard wastes can be easily made into compost and mulch which are then used to improve soil health at residences, public parks and local farms. 

 

Last year, Allied Waste reported that they collected 9.93 tons of holiday trees on just one collection route in San Diego. With thousands of collection routes throughout the County, the total amount of trees discarded every year is staggering. Most waste haulers offer special holiday tree recycling programs to pick up trees with yard waste on regular collection days. In addition to curbside pick-up, tree drop-off sites are located in several communities in the City and County of San Diego. Click here to view a full list of curbside pick-up and tree-drop off locations in San Diego!

ILACSD and the County have made finding out how to recycle holiday trees convenient. Visit the County’s Recycling and Household Hazardous Waste database at www.wastefreesd.org or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784) to learn how and where to recycle your holiday tree.

I Love A Clean San Diego operates San Diego County’s recycling website and call center which refers thousands of residents to the proper facilities to recycle or dispose of just about anything. From broken surfboards to wine corks, railroad ties to cooking oil, ILACSD’s One-Stop Recycling Resource makes recycling quick and convenient.

Holiday Tree Recycling Tips: 

• Trees taller than four feet should be cut in half.
• All tree stands, nails and tree decorations must be removed.
• Check with your local hauler to see if they accept flocked trees.

What else can you recycle this holiday season?

In addition to your tree and gift wrapping, you should also recycle things like your old electronics (cell phones, computers, etc.), household items, and used batteries. These things are hazardous to the environment when they are just thrown in a landfill. Visit www.wastefreesd.org to find out how to recycle these items, and many more!

If you love a clean San Diego, GiveBIG today!

There is so much to love about living in San Diego, the environment here is definitely one of them! With so many environmental organizations in our area, why should you support ILACSD?

• We are the longest running environmental nonprofit in the area! We started fighting litter in 1954 and haven’t stopped since.
• We are the only organization dedicated to cleaning up the entire county of San Diego, from inland to the coast, for generations to come.
• Not just cleanups! We’re most know for our clean up events, Creek to Bay and Coastal Cleanup day, where our volunteers remove thousands of pounds of trash each year, but we also provide education programs to 30,000 children, teens and adults each year.
• Our One-Stop Recycling Resource. The only one of it’s kind in our area, www.wastefreesd.org is your go-to place to find out where to recycle anything and everything, as well as how to properly dispose of hazard waste like oil, paint and electronics.

From 7am TODAY to 7pm TOMORROW you can support us and show that YOU love a clean San Diego too! Donate through The San Diego Foundation’s GiveBIG Event and a portion of all online donations made to I Love A Clean San Diego will be matched by the Foundation! To learn more about I Love A Clean San Diego, visit our website www.cleansd.org.  

Click here to DONATE NOW!