World News for Students of English

02-01-2025 07:00

Every year, millions of Christmas trees end up in landfills, but an Illinois farm has a greener solution: feeding them to Nigerian pygmy goats!

Urban Growers Collective, a nonprofit in Chicago, is accepting undecorated pine trees at South Chicago Farm until January 11. These trees are a nutritious snack for their 15 goats, providing vitamins A and C while promoting digestive health and reducing parasites. Goats love eating the bark, branches, and needles, which act as natural composters. However, donated trees must be free of decorations, tinsel, hooks, or fire-retardant sprays, as these can harm the animals.

For those unable to donate trees to the farm, Chicago’s citywide recycling program runs from January 11–25, offering 27 drop-off sites. Recycled trees will be turned into mulch for parks, forests, and residents. Even broken holiday lights can be recycled at over 30 locations across Chicago through January 31, ensuring a more sustainable holiday season.

Difficult words: composter (natural material that decomposes into soil), tinsel (long, shiny, colored string used as a decoration at Christmas), fire-retardant spray (a chemical spray that reduces fire risk), mulch (ground-up wood or leaves used in gardening).

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