Free Xmas Tree Disposal

The Times- Standard reminds us City Garbage of Eureka will be accepting your used Christmas trees until mid January. Mad River Compost, Arcata High School, Humboldt Santitation and Eel River Disposal also accept the trees for a certain time. I usually take them from customers yards for free until they're no longer accepted for free by City Garbage.

Some awkward situations have developed with that policy. One time I picked up a large, heavy tree and drove down to dump it at City Garbage only to find out the deadline for drop off had passed. Then I had to pay to dispose of the tree as green waste by weight.

I told myself I wouldn't let that happen again so told a customer (was it last year?) if they'd bring their tree out I'd haul it off- no charge. The homeowner- being a Christmas bunny- said she wanted to keep it a bit longer. The next time I stopped by there- after the free disposal deadline had passed- the husband comes out and asked me if I'd haul the tree off. I told him No because the deadline for free disposal had passed. I explained why, so no hard feelings, but they'd had fair warning.

So they had to dispose of it themselves. Funny how that works and I've seen the trees thrown in back yards until they pretty much rotted in place. As former property manager for Century 21 Real Estate, Alan Gunn, pointed out when I was discussing it with him, "They have no problem getting a tree to their house, but getting rid of it seems too much to ask."

As the girl at City Garbage pointed out, those trees pose a fire hazard, even before time to get rid of them. I often think how fun it would be when I see people that feel they have to display their trees through their front window, to just touch those trees with a burning match and watch them light up. Not that I'd want anyone's house to burn down, but it would be nice to see their Christmas ruined.

So, no, I'm not hauling those trees off for free out of any sense of Christmas spirit. I just want to eliminate all signs of Christmas from the neighborhood as soon as possible.

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When I lived in University Park in Irvine, people would dump their trees in the empty lot next to the shopping mall. Then, on a certain day, the fire dept. would come out and light the pile of trees on fire. It was a community event and it seemed most would come out to watch.

Something like that might be ok here, but I'm not sure I'd enjoy it unless I could go door to door and catch the trees on fire while they're still in the house. That would be fun. I'd kick open the front door holding a torch in my hand and yell, "HERE'S FREDDY!".