If a Christmas Tree is part of your December decor, you are in one of two camps and it's usually for life...real or fake. Folks just generally prefer one over the other, often based on what they remember from childhood.
But what if you were to base the decision on the eco factor? Which is the greener choice?
Cutting down a live tree that took years to grow to use once or reusing an artificial tree multiple times that is made from un-earth-friendly materials and was likely shipped from overseas?
posted originally from: AT:Chicago
Danny Seo weighed in on this issue just the other day on his blog.
Danny's verdict? Choose a live tree.
He says,"You see, these (christmas tree) farms are using land that's unsuitable for most crops, except hardy trees. So they're saving land from development. Plus the trees provide habitat for wildlife and help combat global warming while looking all so charming and idyllic. And unlike a fake tree which is made from petroleum based materials and shipped from overseas, these trees are renewable and easily recyclable."
Agree? Disagree? What type of tree do you decorate (if any) and why?
This isn't an option for everyone, but my husband and I have been buying large shrubs we then plant in pots on our patio or in front of our house in Philly. Evergreens are so expensive anyway, we are able to put the cost of the tree toward an investment in a garden. The tree we have this year is 3 feet tall and looks lovely - I almost can't wait to plant it on the patio.
view Donna-lynn's profile
This very question is why I havent had a tree since I moved out of my parents house years ago. Which is the better option, both environmentally and aesthically?
view SleepyDweller's profile
We get a live tree for exactly the reasons Danny Seo gives but also because of environmental and holiday guilt fatigue.
Every aspect of Christmas is 'hate-able' in one form or another. Material gift giving sucks, cutting down trees is despicable, christmas lights burn coal and increase global warming, Bing Crosby beat his children, and the eggnog made Uncle Mark lose 20 years of sobriety and don't even get me started on the roast beef...
It's nice just to simmer down and enjoy an old tradition. I like the sparkles and I like the smell. So kill me...
view Oven Mitzie's profile
Oven Mitzie, well said.
view SMM's profile
I think his argument doesn't quite consider everything--like water and other resources used to raise and ship the trees. Still, I like live trees and will probably have one again someday. But for years now my husband and I have used my very first Christmas tree, a tree that my mom bought on clearance the day after Christmas when I was 3 months old and we were waiting for my military Dad to come home. We call it our Charlie Brown tree because it's a pathetic, fake 1970's 3 foot tree and I love it. I don't know that I would buy another fake, but I'm keeping this one :-)
view classiccook's profile