Twinkling pine, spruce and fir trees bring holiday cheer to homes around the world. But with the end of festivities comes the not-so-jolly chore of disrobing and discarding these unwieldy house guests.

You don’t want your Christmas tree to end up in a landfill, where it will take forever to decompose. So what’s the most responsible way to get rid of a Christmas tree?

Usually, the best and easiest way is to follow your town’s instructions

Take a minute to search the internet for what your town recommends, or call your local trash haulers. Many communities will collect Christmas trees curbside for two or three weeks after the holidays.

Not only is this method most efficient (better to have a few garbage trucks driving around than a bunch of individual cars), but municipalities often use the trees for parks or habitat restoration, piling them into barriers against soil erosion or sinking them into ponds to provide habitat for fish. Some beachside towns use Christmas trees to rebuild sand dunes, a tactic that came in handy after Hurricane Sandy.