The Holidays Are Over: Do You Know Where Your Tree Is?

The holidays are officially over and as the new year begins, residents across are taking down their festive decorations.

Each year, millions of trees and lights are sent to landfills when they could be recycled. Here are a few ways to make your holiday trees and lights keep on giving.

To recycle live holiday trees:

• Waste Management will pick up your tree free of charge at the curb on your normal recycling day. Trees cannot be longer than 4 feet, but longer trees will be collected if they are cut in half.

• Another way to recycle your tree is to give it to the Forest Preserve District of Will County, which will be accepting trees daily until January 9 at four different locations. All the trees collected will be used as mulch for trails and landscaping.

• If you love wildlife and have a sizable, but sparse, backyard, you can also consider turning your tree into a "habitat" tree. Just place the tree in an area where it can decompose and animals will turn its branches into homes and use it for protection from the wind and cold.

To recycle artificial holiday trees:

• Unfortunately, artificial christmas trees cannot be recycled at the curb. But they can be recycled in other ways. If the tree is still in good condition it can be donated. Or, if you are looking for lawn decorations for next year's holiday, consider making your old indoor tree a decorated outdoor tree. They can also be cut apart to create wreaths, mini trees and other decorations.