Keep the spirit of the season going by recycling your Christmas tree.

It’s free and it’s green.

Shelby County, in conjunction with the cities of Harpersville and Pelham and Colonial Properties Trust, is offering Christmas tree recycling at five designated areas in Shelby County.

Christmas tree recycling continues through Sunday, Jan. 4, at these locations:

-Heardmont Park on Cahaba Valley Road, U.S. 119

-J.W. Donahoo Park on Sun Valley Road off U.S. 280 in Harpersville

-The Ray Building off U.S. 70 in Columbiana

-Alabaster Colonial Promenade (located on the west side of the AmStar Theatre parking lot)

-Fun Go Holler Park located off U.S. 52 in Pelham.

All drop areas will be located in parking lots and designated with orange traffic cones and signage, and will be monitored daily.

Organizers plan to recycle the Christmas trees into landscape and erosion and sediment control materials for county facilities and decrease the volume of illegal dumping that occurs each year, said County Manager Alex Dudchock.

Christmas trees left by the curb at your home simply wind up in landfills. That’s just a waste.

Your tree provided you and your family with much enjoyment this Christmas season.

Let it continue its good work by becoming a helpful part of the environment.