This holiday season, let’s think green! (We’re talking composting trees, duh)

Gone are the days of yore, when pop-pop would take the ol’ Christmas tree out back on Dec. 26 and light up a large (and illegal) yard fire. Today, we have much better ways to rid ourselves of the fir and pine. And, it’s totally free!

Residential and multifamily customers who live within the city limits of Auburn can compost their organic Christmas trees and wreaths through Waste Management at no additional cost. Business customers who have yard and food waste service can also place their cut-up trees in their yard and food waste cart for collection.

Visit Waste Management’s Auburn webpage for more details and set-out guidelines, or call 253–939–9792. Decorated or flocked trees cannot be composted.

Collection dates are January 2 through 6 on regular garbage collection days for your area.

But that’s not all — this holiday season, we also want to help you recycle your styrofoam so it doesn’t end up in the bottom of a landfill, where it’ll sit for 500 years before breaking down.

On Saturday, Jan. 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., you can drop off your expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) at the Safeway parking lot at 4010 A St. NE.

Questions? Visit us online or call 253–931–3038 and select option #2.

And remember — if the tree is much too tall to fit in your home, well, that’s probably fine actually, go ahead and get it, your kids will love it.