Tuesday, December 23, 2014

christmas tree recycling option vs. city's curbside incineration plan

let's make sure that christmas trees in indianapolis get recycled instead of incinerated. learn more about the environmentally friendly alternative for having christmas trees mulched/recycled!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Renee Sweany, rsweany@sbcglobal.net, 317-538-5472
Julie Rhodes, julierhodesconsulting@gmail.com, 317-371-2788

CITY CHRISTMAS TREE COLLECTION GOES UP IN SMOKE
Local green advocate steps up to offer recycling to interested citizens

INDIANAPOLIS – When local green advice columnist, Renee Sweany, learned that the City of Indianapolis would not be mulching Christmas trees after the holidays, she did what any concerned citizen would do. She decided to plan her own Christmas tree collection.

Last week the Office of Sustainability announced that residents could conveniently place their Christmas trees at their curb this year, rather than deliver them to Indy Parks sites like they have in years past. What they left to be deduced is that trees will not be mulched, but will go with the rest of the garbage to be burned.

Pulling together various community partners, Sweany hopes people from throughout the city will choose to bring their tree to a designated area of the parking lot of Teachers’ Treasures on Indy’s near east side. RecycleForce will be monitoring the tree collection lot and will also be collecting old electronics at their nearby facility. Ray’s Trash Service has donated a dumpster and will haul collected trees to GreenCycle, who has agreed to accept trees at no charge. Local environmental project manager, Julie L Rhodes Consulting, will oversee the project as a volunteer.

The collection will run January 2-11, when people can drop-off clean, real Christmas trees in the designated area of Teachers' Treasures parking lot, 1800 East 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46201. It is extremely important that all ornaments, tinsel, garland, fake snow and plastic bags are removed before placing a tree in the dumpster.

With more than 12,000 subscribers to her Ask Renee column in NUVO, Sweany hopes to raise money through an online fundraising campaign to cover the nominal expenses involved with collecting and recycling the trees. People interested in supporting the effort can go to www.gofundme.com/treerecycling.

“We welcome Indy residents to bring their trees to Teachers' Treasures as our mission encourages recycling and repurposing materials all year long,” says Margaret Sheehan, executive director of Teachers’ Treasures. “Our location is supported by strong neighborhood and business associations, along with the many teachers who shop at the store with the school and classroom supplies donated by area businesses and people. This collaboration makes sense for our organization and location.”

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