While I may have been gunning to get my Christmas tree as early as Thanksgiving, as soon as I got back from my holiday travels I eyed it with distaste. It was, unsurprisingly, dry after four days of neglect and had dropped its needles all over the greater area of our living room.

Luckily, for those of us in Denver, recycling Christmas trees couldn’t be easier. Denver’s Treecycle program turns used Christmas trees into mulch, which is then dispensed in May during the Annual Mulch Giveaway.

Prepping your tree is also easy. Remove all the tinsel and decorations and place it out on your trash day during the weeks of January 4 and 11. If you’re a dumpster customer, set it out on January 4 or 11 and it will be collected that week.

A few other tips: Be sure your tree is out by 7 a.m. on its given pickup day. It should be at least four feet away from the Dumpster or other containers.

Not in Denver? Check out Colorado Recycles’ guide at recycleyourchristmastree.com, as well as this Denver Post article for recycling trees in outlying areas, including information on which cities are offering free mulch this month.