Why it's a good idea to keep your Christmas tree
Holding on to your tree until the spring can have significant environmental benefits.
While the holidays are coming to an end, you should hang on to your Christmas tree.
According to The Nature Conservancy of Canada, keeping your tree in your backyard can beneficial for the environment, as opposed to sending it to the landfill.
"When we think of protecting nature, we don't necessarily think of our own backyards, and by extending the life of the Christmas tree and recycling it, even for four or five months, you're giving birds a fighting chance to survive our tough winter climate," Andrew Holland, national media relations director for the environmental group, told Daybreak South's Brady Strachan in 2019.
CHRISTMAS TREE PROVIDES ANIMAL HABITAT, FOOD
Keeping your tree won't require any extra effort, other than placing it in the yard, so it can provide a habitat for birds, as well as food.
"We can put on long-johns. These birds can't do the same. So they need warmth and habitat over the winter months," said Holland. "We quite often think about feeding birds other times of the year, but we don't necessarily think about feeding birds during the winter."
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To make it more inviting for animals, Holland suggests putting peanut butter on the tree and pine cones to make a food source for birds and squirrels. However, before you put peanut butter on, it is recommended you check to see if your area has a rat problem.
It is recommended to keep your tree until the spring. Photo: Getty Images.
HOLD ON TO YOUR TREE UNTIL SPRING: HOLLAND
The biggest environmental benefit is the diversion of trees away from landfills, where trees can catch fire and release methane, Holland said. He recommends keeping your tree until the spring, when many municipalities send crews to collect yard waste.
But it doesn't necessarily mean it will take that long to break down, and in fact, most of the time the tree will decompose before then, he added.
"The tree branches and those needles will break down organically the same as a tree does in a forest. It's the same principle," said Holland. "That's good for your soil. So that might help out with fertilizer and stuff, save a few bucks on that."
To speed up the process, you can drill a few holes into the tree, which may help draw insects. "This is a very small act of backyard conservation in nature that people can do that can really make a big difference."
Thumbnail courtesy of Getty Images.
