UKRAINIAN VILLAGE — Do you still have a Christmas tree, wreath or holiday garland lying around your house?
There’s a neighbor who wants to help you.
Daniel Farace is packing discarded Christmas trees, wreaths and garland into the back of his pedicab and biking them to Humboldt Park, where city officials are recycling them.
Farace is willing to pick up trees anywhere between his Ukrainian Village home and the Noble Square headquarters of his pedicab company, Second City Tuk Tuks.
Since the start of the New Year, Farace has already picked up 98 trees from Noble Square, Wicker Park, West Town and Ukrainian Village.
On Monday morning, he had 20 pickups scheduled.
He will wrap up his volunteer work Saturday, which is the last day of the city’s tree recycling program.
“I was riding around the city and saw an awful lot of Christmas trees just sitting around,” he said. “I like to do everything as green as possible. … I just like to clean up my neighborhood.”
While Farace is not charging people for his services, he will accept cash tips or tips via Venmo, PayPal and Chase Zelle.
“I’m not in it to make money,” he said. “This is just my down season. I get bored. I don’t want to sit at my house every day.”
This is the second year Farace has offered his skills and time to neighbors. And he’s become more efficient.
“Now I know how to tie them up, put more in [the] bike,” he said. “Last year I was impressed with four. This year [I fit] nine in one cab.”
To schedule a pickup, call or text Farace at 773-398-7177, email secondcitytuktuks@gmail.com or send a direct message on Facebook.
Don’t live in the area? Here’s the full list of city tree recycling locations.
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