source: Ron Cogswell ; CC license
Every Christmas Thousands of People Face the Imminent Quandary of Real vs. Fake Christmas Tree. Before Making the Final Decision Make Sure You Have All the Facts
The debate over whether you should go the au natural or artificial route replays itself every year when it comes to the Christmas tree. Christmas has become a time when little thought is spared for the cost to the environment or the strain on your bank balance but we thought it was time to try and set the record straight. The unfortunate truth is that both real and artificial have their pros and cons. So let’s take a look at each one in turn.
ARTIFICIAL
Guilt is one of the biggest reasons for people to go the artificial route and for many this is a very valid reason. Paying extortionate prices for trees that have been cut down doesn’t sit well with many people and quite rightly so. Cost and convenience are also very important factors to bear in mind. An artificial tree is a worthy investment when compared with the annual expense of a real one and it doesn’t need constant watering or require picking up the endless round of dropped needles. Many experts however feel that the environmental impact of an artificial tree pales into insignificance as many come all the way from China. They are also manufactured using plastic, not a very bio-degradable material at all.
REAL
A real Christmas tree on the other hand can be recycled. It can be turned into mulch and used for landscaping and gardening, paths and walkways. A lone farmed pine tree absorbs more than 1 ton of CO2 in its lifetime and an acre of trees produce enough oxygen to supply the daily needs of 18 people. Xmas tree farmers use sustainable methods to ensure a regular harvest of healthy trees and thousands of people are employed in the natural Christmas tree industry as well.
The debate will probably continue for many more years but we’ve thought of a couple of interesting alternatives to these two contenders. Why not plant your very own Christmas tree in your garden and bring it in every year? Keeping a tree healthy year after year will require careful tending and possibly green finger will be an advantage. But the most eco-friendly alternative is to decorate one of your house plants. Although it’s not traditional and might take a little adjusting to the idea what’s wrong with decorating your favourite rubber plant with tinsel and fairy lights. It’s certainly something we’ll be considering this year!
Image source: flickr.com
