Contact: Priscilla Knight, 703-392-1580, pknight@novec.com

NORTHERN VIRGINIA—Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the holiday season than at any other time of the year.* This extra garbage is added to landfills.

The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative will help reduce this load on the environment by accepting for recycling Christmas trees, wreaths and other greenery from December 26, 2007 through January 5, 2008 at its Gainesville office.

The office is located at 5399 Wellington Branch Drive near the intersection of Route 29 and I-66. Asplundh Tree crews will recycle them into mulch. Customers should leave greenery in the front parking lot in the area designated with orange safety cones.

NOVEC will deliver wood chip mulch to a customer at no charge when right of way crews are working in the customer's area. The wood chips come from Christmas trees and from branches crews trim year-around from trees near power lines.

For more information, contact NOVEC's Right of Way Department at 703-335-0500 or 888-335-0500, extension 1633 or 1661. Customers also can request wood chips and mulch through www.novec.com or via e-mail to novecrightofway@novec.com.