Wow! Christmas really is here. The miracle and the magic are upon us.

But just as certainly, there will be that after Christmas cleanup. That reality will set in soon, and it will set in hard. As is the case with many of the good things that happen in our community, some thoughtful and forward-thinking citizens have put together a plan that will ease our households and our community through the glow and into the cleanup.

Those magical live Christmas trees move from the realm of sparkling wonder to tremendous fire hazard in a hurry.

They have got to go, and Steve McNerney and the good people at Stine Lumber have teamed up with Landscape Resources and the city’s public works department to recycle those trees and convert them into mulch. This material can then be used to enhance and stabilize green features throughout the city.

This program is just one more example of the desire of our local people to do what is right by our environment. There are so many citizens who grasp the importance of modifying the way we do things in order to be good stewards of the natural blessings we have been given. Many of the changes we need to make are very complex and will take more time to implement.

Steve and his team of volunteers have given each of us a beginning.

Stine Lumber will begin accepting trees on Dec. 26. They will continue to take trees through Jan. 15. At that point, Landscape Resources will move in and the mulching will begin.

So, for all of those families with live Christmas trees, here’s your chance to make a difference. It can be a family thing — it is a great lesson for your children and it is a good choice you can make to take a baby step into the green new world.

Thanks for doing your part.

Stephanie Hutchins is a member of the Keep America Beautiful campaign.