The Low Down On Green Living
December 4th, 2007
The Christmas Tree Decision
Stumble it!
Is it getting to be that time of year when you’re wringing your hands, wondering if buying a fresh Christmas tree is the environmental thing to do? Do you dream of the sweet smell of pine but then feel a vague sense of guilt wash over you? We have been in your shoes! Here is a quick guide to help you make your decision.
1. If you can, buy a potted pine tree. Decorate it for the holidays and then either put the pot outside or replant the pine tree in your yard. This is the lowest impact approach to the Christmas tree possible. No trees are killed, you get a sweet-smelling tree, and it’s a gift that keeps on giving.
2. If you want to buy a cut tree, try to get an organic Christmas tree. Organic Promise has a long list of organic tree farms across the US. Also, there’s a new initiative out called the Coalition of Environmentally Conscious Growers. Look for their tags on trees. Members of the coalition have passed through an inspection process to determine whether the farm follows high standards for pest management, nutrient use, and wetlands protection among other factors. Although these trees are not necessarily organic, trees from coalition members are more eco-friendly than your average farmed tree.
3. Try to buy a tree from as close to your home as possible– this will cut down on the gas use and carbon emissions involved in transporting the tree. Call local farms and/or Christmas tree outlets and ask them where their trees are from and how they were grown.
4. Whatever kind of natural tree you end up buying, please be sure to dispose of it properly. Most cities will grind and mulch the tree. Call your local waste department and find out about drop-offs and pick-ups. Try Earth 911 to find your local recycling resources.
5. We do not recommend you get a plastic tree. Plastic is made from petroleum which is a non-renewable resource, and the plastics typically off-gas toxins that are bad for your family to breathe. Most plastic trees contain PVC, a particularly nasty form of plastic. Many plastic trees are also manufactured overseas, which means even more petroleum is used in getting them to the US. It may seem like a good idea to buy a plastic tree and use it year after year, but plastic is not the best option for the environment or your health.
So hopefully that’s helpful– whatever you decide, have a wonderful Holiday Season!
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Comments
Laurens Laudowicz
December 5th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
wow. what a great post. too bad (not really) that we live in honolulu hawaii. we used a palm tree for a while. last year we ended up buying a regular tree, but i did not feel to good about the long long way that tree had to travel to make it into our living room. so…we planted a little norfolk pine in a pot last january. problem is, it is still so small, the only thing that would fit under it is money or gift cards….sad sad sda. so this year we wanted to be more green. but how?
any ideas for what to do here in hawaii?
aloha
LifeAt Blog | » Dreaming of a “Green” Christmas? | Residential Community News, Social Networking Trends & LifeAt Company Updates
December 6th, 2007 at 9:08 am
[...] you can, buy a potted pine tree Decorate it for the holidays and then either put the pot outside or replant the pine tree in your yard. This is the lowest [...]
Yard Whisperer
December 9th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
Is there any virtue in buying a fake Christmas tree and using it for say, twenty years? Even though you’d have a harmful product, it would definatly last longer than a cut tree. Your thoughts?
Marle
December 10th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Yard Whisperer,
If you already have a fake tree, keep using it. If you’re looking for a fake tree, look at craigslist or freecycle or your local paper or somewhere for a tree someone is getting rid of. That way you won’t be encouraging the making of more fake trees and you’ll be keeping one of out the landfills.
Jessica Jensen
December 10th, 2007 at 10:34 am
I tend to agree with Marle. If you have one, keep using it. (Although I would try to put it outside for a couple of months in good weather to let it off-gas.) If you don’t have one and WANT a plastic tree, get a used one. But if you don’t have a plastic tree and are trying to decide if you should get one, we recommend a fresh tree (for the reasons listed in my original post). Thanks for the good comments! — Jessica Jensen, Low Impact Living
Trey
December 10th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Don’t forget, if you live along the coast your local waste management company will probably recycle the tree in an interesting way. They will take it to the beach to be used in protecting the dunes. I don’t know if that is a common practice in the northeast or on the west coast, but it’s been standard practice in southeastern North Carolina for years. The only catch is to avoid tinsel and make sure you remove all the lights and ornaments before you set it out on the curb. Otherwise you could be littering the beach/ocean with plastics. I don’t know how anyone else feels about this, but it is a highly effective way to slow dune erosion.
Blake
December 11th, 2007 at 10:32 am
A fews when we’ve had a real tree, we’ve put it in our farm pond, I have heard that it makes a good habitat for pond life.
Blake
December 11th, 2007 at 10:32 am
a few times**
Fernando Burks
March 26th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
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Wells Gray Park
http://wwwa.accuweather.com/index-forecast.asp?zipcode=44614
MT
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I have to use a fake tree due to being allergic to pine, fir, etc. I will make sure I keep my existing fake tree and use it for many years. Thanks for the info!
John Mustol
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:46 am
As Christians, instead of a tree we place a small nativity in our living room. This seems more in keeping with the season.
T
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:56 am
In San Diego we use adoptachristmastree.com. The bring us a live potted tree to enjoy, and when the holiday’s are over they come pick it up. If the tree is large enough they plant it in the burn areas (we have plenty). I have been using them for three years and LOVE it. I wish more cities had companies like this. My friends and family are so jealous since I have a guilt free fabulous tree each year.
Kirsten Felton
February 17th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
In Pennsylvania they pick up the used trees to put in the local lakes and reservoirs to give the fish a good place to spawn and hide from the larger fish.
As was mantioned before, remove all tinsel and decorations. they say it’s a good thing for the fish.
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