Milwaukee 'Mulch-O-Rama' gives Christmas trees new purpose

MILWAUKEE - Saying goodbye to Christmas and taking down the Christmas tree isn't always fun.

But on a wintry white Milwaukee morning Saturday, dozens of people found joy showing off their green thumbs and giving their trees back to the earth.

"Today we have our second annual Mulch-O-Rama," said Dawn Riegel. "People can bring their trees and their wreaths to be recycled."

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Christmas trees were turned into mulch with help from the Milwaukee Department of Public Works.

"We wanted an alternative to putting the tree in a landfill," said Ald. Scott Spiker.

Milwaukee DPW "Mulch-O-Rama"

Neighbors like Josh Pegorsch appreciate the event: "Very easy. Just brought it down here in the truck, slid it right off, the guys were here to load it up and get it mulched and give it back to the environment."

The whole process took just a matter of seconds. Organizers said the impact will likely last much longer. 

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"These trees here will stay on site here in the Garden District gardens," Spiker said. "It will be used to do weed control with the plants."

"It’s great mulch because it suppresses the weeds because of all the acid in the tree," said Riegel. "It’s awesome. I love to see all of our neighbors come, dropping things off, meeting them."