Dear Editor,

Did you know that household waste in the US increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day?

Our local Keep Troup Beautiful will help in an effort to recycle this waste as we sponsor our annual “Bring One for the Chipper” activity on Saturday, Jan. 6 at two locations in Troup County — the LaGrange Recycling Center “under the water tower” at Lafayette Parkway and South Davis Road and in Hogansville at 400 E. Main Street across from city hall.

Our effort this year is to collect any recyclables from the holidays,  including paper, cardboard, plastics, aluminum and electronics (including those Christmas lights that don’t work anymore!

No TVs please.

We will also have a container for tires at our LaGrange location (no commercial tires).

Twenty six years of treecycling in Georgia has made “Bring One for the Chipper” the largest event of its kind in the nation.

Christmas tree recycling programs like Chipper support eco-friendly holiday efforts that have a greater influence.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association (www.realchristmastrees.org) 98 percent of real Christmas trees are grown on farms throughout all 50 states and Canada.

Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource.

On average, for each tree harvested, three seedlings are planted in its place. An estimated 40-45 million Christmas trees are planted annually throughout North America, absorbing carbon dioxide, producing oxygen, and supporting local economies.

Chipper trees will be recycled into mulch, used for wildlife habitat and kept out of our landfills across the state.

We need your help to keep recyclable waste out of our landfills.

Come by our locations on Jan. 6 and learn more of what we do while dropping off your recyclables.

And, register for a door prize and receive free tree seedlings while they last.

We have white oak and dogwoods this year!

Scott W. Landa

Executive Director, Keep Troup Beautiful