Irvine Nature Center

Every month we share some secrets for helping the environment while also helping yourself. We do our best to keep it simple, because we know that in this busy world, very few people have the time to tackle complicated tasks.

December Eco-tip:  Tis the season for recycling!

As the holiday season winds down, many of us will begin to wondering what we will do with our now unwanted Christmas trees.  For many of the trees the landfill is its next destination; however it doesn’t have to be!

Christmas trees are biodegradable and the good news is that more and more county governments are offering free tree recycling programs for county residents.  These programs will recycle your tree into mulch to be used in county parks and in some cases can be given back to you for your personal garden.

When recycling your tree this season be sure that you have removed all decorations, lights and non-organic items prior to recycling it.  Typically, counties offer curbside pick-up or free drop-off begin at the end of December, be sure to check with your county’s department of public works for more specific detail. 

And if you live in a rural or wooded area, you can drag your drag the tree outside.  It would make a great habitat for birds! 

Happy Recycling!

For more information on local recycling programs, explore these links: 

Links for local county websites:

Baltimore County:  http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/News/holiday_winter/treecollection.html

Baltimore City:  http://www.baltimorecity.gov/government/dpw/waste.php

Harford County:  http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/dpw/envaffairs/christmastree.html

September: Keep a "Greener" Yard

If there are areas of your lawn that go unused, consider replacing the grass with less water-intensive plants such as trees, shrubs, flowers, or low-growing ground covers (native, of course). For the rest of the lawn, spread drought-resistant varieties of grass seed and allow the grass to grow higher in the summer, so the blades provide shade for the soil.

Grass is a prairie plant, so it does need to be cleared of leaf cover to allow exposure to air and sun. But leaves on your flowerbeds are perhaps the best and easiest way to nourish the soil - earthworms actually pull the leaves into the soil in the spring. So just rake the leaves off your lawn and onto your flower beds. We call this… Mulch!

Mulching around plants further reduces the need for supplemental watering by keeping the soil cool and moist. It also prevents erosion, blocks competing weeds, and provides the soil with nutrients.