How can you take those dying Christmas trees with all the pine needles and turn them into a greener 2nd life? We have good news for our Where Can I Wednesday column: there are a LOT of choices this holiday season!

The Philadelphia Streets Department is repeating its successful Residential Christmas Tree Recycling program again in 2013! This program reuses the wood for city gardens & projects instead of letting them (barely) decompose in the landfill.

From Monday, January 7 through Saturday, January 19th, 2013, Philadelphia residents can drop off their tree at the Streets Department Sanitation Convenience Centers at the following locations:

• 3033 S 63rd Street
• Domino Lane & Umbria Street
• State Road & Asburner Street

All of the Sanitation Convenience Centers are open from 8 AM – 6 PM, Monday through Saturday.

Rules for Christmas Tree Recycling Drop Off

Streets Department Commissions Clarena Tolson announced the Christmas Tree Recycling program, along with the following tips:

1. Bring your Christmas Trees Naked. no decorations, no ties, NO stars, tinsel or booze. Christmas trees with decorations will NOT be recycled and in the garbage, and therefore useless for your green efforts.
2. DON’T leave your trees on the curb! There’s no curbside collection this year – so those trees will also be useless and destined for the landfill.
3. No plastic for the trees either! Don’t wrap these puppies in plastic bags before dropping them off.

Are the Sanitation Centers a little far? Here’s a list of Philadelphia Christmas tree recycling locations by neighborhood:

• Clark Park (43rd & Chester Sts): UC Green will have a Christmas tree Recycling on Saturday, January 5, 2013 from 10 AM – 4 PM. (Suggested donation: $10/tree) and efforts will support greening the local neighborhood. Electronic devices with a plug (minus ‘larger’ appliances) will also be accepted at this recycling drive. Contact Sue MacQueen at 215-573-4684 or suemacqueen@ucgreen.org with any specific recycling questions.
• Fishtown/Kensington – Palmer Dog Depot at E. Palmer St. (on north side of Blair St): Fishtown recycles trees on Saturday, Jan 5th from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
• Broad & Oregon: Saturday, January 5th 1-4 PM
• Marconi Plaza (Broad & Bigler Streets), Sat. Jan 5th, 1-4 PM ($5/tree)
• Queen Village – (Weccacoe Playground, 400 Catherine St): Saturday Jan 5, 9 Am – 12 PM ($5/tree)
• Bella Vista – Whole Foods (929 South Street): Sat Jan 5, 10 AM – 4 PM ($5/tree).
• Passyunk: 13th & Reed Sts: Passyunk Square will recycle trees on Sat, Jan 5th from 10 AM -4 PM.
• Northern Liberties @ Liberty Lands (913 – 961 N 3rd St): Sat, Jan 5th from 10-4.
• University City – Markward Rec (Raney & Pine, just west of 26th St): Sat, Jan 5th from 10 -4.
• Logan Square – Boy Scouts Parking Lot (213 Winter Street): Sunday, Jan 6 – 9:30 AM -12:30 PM
• Art Museum – (22nd & Brown): Sunday, Jan 6th from 10 AM – 4 pm.
• Chestnut Hill – Norwood Fontbonne School (8891 Germantown Avenue): Sunday, January 6th from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM. $5 donation requested.
• Mount Airy – Gabbies Garden (Chew Ave btwn Mt. Airy Ave & Mt Pleasant Ave): Sun, Jan 6th from 1-4 PM. $5 donation requested.

Just remember to apply the same rules: remove all the ornaments and don’t bother bringing plastic to any of the locations.

Readers, have you participated in the Christmas Tree Recycling? Will you participate in 2013?

Photo: CBS

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher