As this holiday season wraps up, make sure your Christmas tree comes to a good end. "If you dispose of your tree properly, it will be ground up into mulch or compost that protects the roots of plants and improves the soil," said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.

You do not need to sneak around and ditch your Christmas tree on a sidewalk when no one is looking. Recology is happy to pick up your tree for free if you just leave it next to your compost bin when putting out trash and recycling.