NATCHEZ — Instead of curbs being lined with discarded Christmas trees this year, Stine Lumber Company wants residents to go green.

Stine employee Steve McNerney, who is also part of the county’s recycling effort, said recycling Christmas trees is a good way to cut out needless waste.

“There’s a tremendous amount of green waste that’s picked up and hauled off to the landfills,” McNerney said.

So, through Stine’s internal community involvement program, the company is asking that old Christmas trees be brought to Stine on U.S. 61 South starting Friday through Jan. 15.

McNerney said the trees can be dropped off at the front of the store during normal business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The collected Christmas trees will then be sent to Landscape Resources to be chipped.

Natchez resident Stephanie Hutchins, who helped facilitate these partnerships, said the chips will then be picked up by Natchez Public Works.

Public Works Director Eric Smith said his department hasn’t any use for the chips, but they could be distributed to the community.

McNerney said he hopes many people join in this effort.

“Even though the recycling of the paper is on hold, there are other recycling issues and other green issues that need to be addressed, as well,” he said.

McNerney is referring to the recycling program the county instituted when it partnered with Natchez Metals and Recycling.

However, it was later determined by owner Bubba Kaiser that recycling was no longer turning a profit.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, trash in households increases by 25 percent, or 25 million tons, nationally between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

Director of the Adams County Extension Service David Carter said there are several uses for discarded Christmas trees.

He said the limbs and branches make a good compost, or the trunk can be used as starter wood to burn in a fire.

“If you have ponds, people put them in ponds for nesting for smaller fish,” he said.

Or, Christmas tree chips can be used for mulching.

“If you have a small flowerbed, that’d be a great idea,” Carter said.

Even just placing a pile of woodchips in a yard to be collected by wildlife and birds is a good use, he said.

For those not wanting to recycle Christmas trees, the county and city will provide curbside pickup.