Don't throw your Christmas tree into the woods, turn it into electricity. Area recycling centers can use your old Christmas trees to power thousands of homes around our region, and its free of charge.
"The Christmas tree drop off program is an opportunity for folks to recycle their naturally grown Christmas trees in an environmentally acceptable way," said Bill Kroplin, Chief Forester at McNeil Wood and Yard Waste Depot in Burlington. "We expect to get somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 trees."
The trees are chipped and burned to generate electricity for area power companies, including CVPS, Burlington Electric Dept, Green Mountain Power, and VT Public Power Supply Authority.
"These trees are not going to the local landfill and taking up critical space," Kroplin said. "The material is being reused as a fuel right here in Chittenden County for the benefit of local residents.
The McNeil Plant in Burlington is the largest in the area to turn wood into power.
"What goes outside our door, is 50 megawatts, which is about the load of the city of Burlington, Vt.," said McNeil Plant Manager John Irving. "We use about 75 tons of wood per hour, and for those that think in terms of quards, 75 tons per hour is about 30 and 35 quards."
Burlington is picking up Christmas trees curbside on Tuesday morning for free. For other areas, contact your local waste management center for pickup schedules in your area.
