The trees pushed into piles from a land clearing project? Grind them. Transform them into landscape mulch or compost. These products reduce water runoff and improve soil quality, among many other benefits. The common alternative is to burn the piles of trees (in places where that is still legal). Burning produces smoke. Grinding produces profitable commodities. Grinding is much smarter. When done properly, it’s also more profitable.
The trees that were turned into lumber for pallets? Grind them, too. Create premium mulch that will help homeowners reduce their water usage. Throw in all the trees and limbs that have been chipped by tree care companies and the waste from sawmills. If it started as a tree and is now sitting in a pile, grind it. Turn it into an opportunity.
And there’s no reason to stop at trees. Grind the grass and leaves piled up in yard waste sites. Grind food waste and all the compostable material in household garbage. If it’s organic and sitting in dumpsters or piles, grind it. Make something out of it.
Soil isn’t picky about where the organic matter comes from. Make sure your grinder isn’t picky either. Choose a grinder with the versatility to convert diverse feedstocks into products. Diversify your opportunities for economic and environmental sustainability.
If your raw materials contain contaminants like big pieces of steel, shred it, then grind it.
This Earth Day, remember: Planting trees is important. But grinding trees is important, too.