Now that the presents have all been handed out from under the tree and New Year’s resolutions have been made, it’s time to start thinking about recycling your Christmas tree. Tree recycling can be a simple and great way to start off 2009 with an eco-friendly act of kindness.

Between 30 million and 35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. each year. Luckily, about 93 percent of those trees are currently being recycled through more than 4,000 available recycling programs.

Tree recycling is a simple way to bring a renewable and natural source back to the environment — and not the landfill, where decomposition rates are slowed due to lack of oxygen.

Real Christmas trees can be recycled in a variety of ways. They are commonly turned into mulch and used in landscaping and gardening or chipped and used for playground material, hiking trails, paths and walkways. They are also used for beachfront erosion prevention, lake and river shoreline stabilization and fish and wildlife habitat.

The National Christmas Tree Association highlights projects that are thriving examples of Christmas tree recycling and reuse. From wildlife habitat creation to sand dune restoration, Christmas trees are being recycled into great use in communities nationwide.

Preparing Your Tree for Recycling

Okay, so recycling your Christmas tree might not be as easy as putting it in that blue bin with your aluminum cans and plastic bottles, but it is easier than you might think.

Many communities now offer seasonal treecycling programs. Use Earth911′s searchable database of over 4,000 treecycling locations to determine if your community offers a curbside program or is hosting a treecycling event in your area. Before recycling your tree, make sure to:

• Remove all stands, lights, tinsel and ornaments (including that great treecycle ornament, which can be put away for next year).
• Check the collection and drop-off dates for treecycling in your area – you don’t want to miss the deadline, and dates and times can change on occasion.
• Do not place your Christmas tree inside a plastic bag. It should be left in its natural state for recycling.

There are often community groups, such as the Boy Scouts of America, who will come pick up your tree for a small donation and take it to the recycling facility for you.

Friendly Reminders

If any of those Christmas tree ornaments or decorations aren’t going to make it onto the tree next year, please remember to recycle or donate them.

Upgrading to LED lights next year? Remember to recycle your incandescent lights at holidayLEDS.com or donate them to a worthy cause.

Avoid burning your Christmas tree as it creates unnecessary air pollution and can represent a fire hazard.

Artificial trees cannot be recycled. They are made from mainly non-renewable plastics, often containing PVC, a petroleum-derived plastic. If you do have an artificial tree that you no longer use, consider donating it to a worthy cause or prolonging its life through good care and storage.

"Living" Christmas trees should not be recycled with traditional Christmas trees. Arrangements should be made to replant them in a timely fashion in order to keep them alive. Many places, such as your local parks department, school or community organization, will accept the living trees for replanting.

Much of the above information was from a great post on LiveScience.com.