Adam@Home by Rob Harrell for December 13, 2009

up here at least there are forests especially farmed for christmas trees, it’s not like we’re hogging from the rainforests. Nothing wrong with real trees.

Christmas trees are a crop, they don’t grow wild. People depend on them for their livelihood. Old Christmas trees become compost and wildlife habitat. They soak up carbon. They are totally GREEN.

I still prefer a fake tree.

Ah…traditions :D

Traditions: just because we’ve done it a hundred times in the past doesn’t mean it isn’t stupid now.

An artificial Christmas tree may seem like an eco-friendly choice since it can be reused and it is not directly killing a plant that is a great environmental asset. However these minimal benefits are severely negated by the environmental cost of the production of fake trees. Celebrating your holiday with a live or cut tree is by far the green way to go. Here’s why.

Artificial Trees Are: Made of PCV, a harmful plastic, which in its production and lifetime impacts the planet in multiple harmful ways. Are mostly produced outside the U.S. which consumes resources in regard to shipping to their destination countries. Not recyclable and are not biodegradable. Not able to provide the relaxing aroma of a real pine tree. Toxic if and when they are burned Your Real Live or Cut Christmas Tree: Is grown on a tree farm that is continually replenished with two or three seedlings for every one tree that is harvested for the holiday. Is not shipped extreme distances, reducing the eco-cost of transportation. Is prior to harvest, a young fast growing tree that is a carbon sink; harnessing greenhouse gases while producing oxygen at the same time. Comes from a tree farm that helps to prevent soil erosion and harmful runoff. Prior to harvest creates a habitat for wildlife and is an integral part of an ecosystem. Can be recycled and/or repurposed. When composted, adds nutrients to the soil.

I’m sure that SOMEBODY is marketing all-natural fake trees that are elegant, reusable, and eco-friendly. Probably not real cheap, but who knows? They can probably be made aromatic, as well.

The kind of fake tree Martha Stewart would be proud to display…

cabrobst said:Christmas trees are a crop, they don’t grow wild.

While (Christmas) tree farming has become an industry, as a blanket statement, this is FALSE. They do grow wild.

If you use the same fake tree for years, it seems like it would eventually be greener.

I remember going out to get a real tree as a kid. It was cold, and it was either raining or damp. Then when we got it home, it had to be set into a container of water to keep it looking OK, and the animals always wanted to get into it.

Susan probably survives on photosynthesis ;)

Susan, you are probably right that many of those arguments could be made for fur, but like many people, I view killing a plant and killing an animal as very different things, just as I view killing a an animal and killing a person as very different things. But, if you feel strongly that cutting down trees is wrongful killing, you could always go with the living tree option. There are many places you can buy a potted tree that can be planted after the season, and more and more companies that rent Christmas trees out. They deliver a tree in a pot and then pick up and replant it after Christmas is over.

I’ve read in the paper that you can rent a live Christmas tree. They even deliver it and, after the holiday, pick it up. You can even arrange to rent the same tree next year.