5 Easy Ways You Can Recycle a Christmas Tree

According to several sources, between 35 to 40 million natural (real) Christmas trees are cut down and sold in the United States, and roughly 1 million more are cut down and exported to Mexico.  A statistic in Wikipedia shows that in 2012, over 24 million trees were sold: a total retail value of over $1 billion.

Yes, survivalists and preppers, you read that correctly: with 24 million trees, a retail of over $1 billion.

The weight?  More than 54,000 tons for (average) 36 million trees.  One of the problems with statistics such as these…they “deaden” the conscience…as they are such staggering numbers as not to be able to be held in the mind.  They just become a statistic.  The real focus is the retail value…$1 billion.  If the trees sell for that much, then the state and federal government are “pocketing” about half a billion dollars, or $500 million.  Wow, that’ll provide for a lot of Congressional dinners of shrimp and steak, and sumptuous feasts for our honored representatives!

It’s also great for that all-important period even greater than the week of Christmas…the last fiscal quarter of the year…the “sacred” Fourth Quarter earnings!  Yes, sir, this is where the U.S. economy faces its “make or break” mark, as 75 – 80% of our economy is based on consumption.  Replete with numbers from the happy expenditures, the merchants joyously ring in the New Year without sleigh bells, but cash registers jingling and the ringing of silver-like and copper-like alloyed coins clinking happily in the black plastic compartments!

Seriously, for a sobering look at all that is “produced” in terms of consumption and waste, try this article, entitled “Christmas Waste Statistics – Making Christmas ‘Green’”

5 Ways to Recycle Your Christmas Tree

So, what to do except do what everyone else does, right?  No, how about for starters, try and recycle some of that tree for other uses instead of simply throwing it out.

1. Pine Needle Tea – After all the “accouterments” have been removed, and the ornaments packed away, cut down the boughs.  Take some of them and the leaves (yes, those coniferous needles are really leaves) and boil some of them up…as mentioned in past articles.  More Vitamin C in them than you can shake a stick at, no pun intended.

2. Emergency Shelter – You can also practice with those pine boughs.  Practice?  Yes, practice making a lean-to out in the backyard.  Here’s your chance!  They can’t get you for doing such…the tree isn’t a “tree” anymore, it’s your personal property!  No license or certification required! Practice building a lean-to, and making groundcover using the interlaced boughs out in the backyard.  Use all the boughs.

3. Firestarting Material – Dried boughs and needles burn extremely well and make excellent fire-starting material. Here are some other fire-starting ideas.

4. Wood Carving – Next is the tree itself.  Cut it up.  Do you like to carve wood?  Pine is nice and soft.  Practice whatever (if anything) comes to mind.  Or cut it up and set it aside to cure and be used for firewood or kindling.

5. Firewood – Those urban and suburban city convenience stores and grocery stores sell those little packets of “firewood,” all wrapped up in plastic with a carrying handle for the exciting family fire and “roughing it” in the ‘burbs.  Why not save that 5 to 7 dollars and use the tree? Read more on how to efficiently acquire firewood.

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Here’s a novel concept: collect up the trees of neighbors who just want to throw it out, and do something with them.

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Training is Where You Make It and What You Make of It

Prepping and survival are more than just consumption and storage of supplies and materials for the day it hits the fan.  You don’t have to be a “tree-hugger” to utilize a Christmas tree after its holiday utilitarian function has passed. Have a nice holiday, and think beyond it in all that you do.

To rekindle a fire, you just may have to carry the torch, or blow on the embers and refuel it yourself.  JJ out!

This information has been made available by Ready Nutrition