Trashing your tannenbaum correctly

Christmas is over and that natural tree in your living room may still look beautiful, but it is also a drying fire hazard growing more volatile every day. Burning it is a bad idea, and you can’t just toss the whole tannenbaum out with the trash and expect your garbage man to take it as is. Here’s a guide to recycling your Christmas tree locally and correctly; whichever option you use, be sure to take care in removing all decorations, including tinsel, from your tree.

• On Jan. 5, Chico’s Boy Scout Troop 2 will conduct its 21st annual Christmas Tree Pickup. The trees gathered by the scouts are used by the California Department of Water Resources for a fish habitat improvement program at Lake Oroville. Thus far, the DWR has used these trees to build more than 600 brush shelters that contribute to a healthy ecosystem. The scouts suggest, but do not require, a $10-$30 donation for pickup, and have drop-off points at Hooker Oak Park, Oakway Park and Butte Bible Fellowship Church (2255 Pillsbury Road). To arrange a pickup or for more infor-mation on the program, check out www.troop2chico.com or call 570-7178. The scouts and DWR program do not accept flocked trees.

• Recology and Waste Management both offer curbside pickup service with your weekly recycling, with Recology requesting trees be cut to lengths less than three feet and bundled. Trees can also be dropped off at the Chico Compost Facility, at 4441 Cohasset Road, from Dec. 27 to Jan. 5.