Maine, United States — As the holiday season concludes, you may be wondering what to do with your Christmas tree. Whether your holiday decor is still up in your living room or has already been packed away, there are more options for disposing of it than you might expect.
For those with live Christmas trees, farms and animal rescues throughout Maine are putting them to good use. David and Anne Seeber, owners of Iron Leaf Farm in Litchfield, have been collecting trees to feed their goats for seven years.
“Whatever compounds that are in the pine needles act as a natural dewormer for the goats, and it also has a lot of trace minerals they might not have access to otherwise,” David Seeber told me.
If donating your tree is not an option, many Maine cities and towns provide curbside pickup and recycling services. Cities such as Biddeford and Saco will begin collection services after the new year.
If you have an artificial tree or other holiday decorations to donate, Morgan Sewall, a retail marketing and communication specialist for Goodwill Northern New England, suggests that you do so at your local Goodwill store.
“Goodwill is an accessible place to be able to bring this stuff, knowing that it’s not going to get thrown away or put into a landfill,” Sewall told me.
According to Sewall, donating trees, ornaments, and other items not only helps keep landfills empty, but also funds Goodwill’s workforce programs in Maine.
“We’re looking to take things that we can give a new home and that people are going to be able to appreciate, and it’s great when you shop at Goodwill—you’re looking for a steal on some items and ultimately giving back to your community by shopping there,” said Sewall.
While Iron Leaf Farm is already accepting trees, the farm will hold its annual Christmas Tree Drop event on Saturday, Jan. 4, where participants can see the goats and drink hot cocoa.