We are getting our Christmas tree this week and I can’t wait for how wonderful it makes the house smell. I know there is a lot of conversations about the eco-friendliness of a real tree vs an artificial tree. I remember some stats from my post last year about this issue…
* Around 98% of Real Christmas Trees are grown on farms throughout all 50 states and Canada.These trees are planted to be harvested, just as corn is cultivated for harvest.* The Christmas Tree industry in the United States employs more than 100,000 Americans(part- and full-time). Meanwhile, 85% of fake trees are made by factory workers in China.* Every acre of Christmas Trees grown produces the daily oxygen requirement for 18 people.With approximately 500,000 million acres of trees, 9 million people a day are supplied withoxygen thanks to these trees.* Real Christmas Trees support life by absorbing carbon dioxide and other greenhousegases; they also stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide a refuge for wildlife.* For each Real Christmas Tree harvested, up to three new seedlings are planted in its place.
There are many other things we can do to maintain our green ways during the holidays and not sacrifice a real Christmas tree. Reuse wrapping paper from past holidays, make your own handmade gifts and use embellishments from nature to personalize your packages. I also plan to use a few extra pieces of artwork by daughter to wrap gifts. Every little bit counts…what are you doing to stay “green” during the holidays?
Here are a couple of wrapping options I am using this season:
Quality Park Wrapping Paper Roll, 35 lb, 24 Inches x 65 Feet, Kraft Brown, 1 Roll (46152)
Martha Stewart Assorted Red Baker’s Twine
Make your own tags with these great craft punches:
Marth Stewart 1-Inch Punch Circle
Uchida LV-MGCP74 Clever Lever Mega Craft Punch, Merchandise Tag
Thanks for these great statistics! Sadly, many people still believe that they are doing the "greener" thing by going artificial. 🙁
One other thing that I want to add is that it is very easy to recycle your tree after the holidays – even if you do not have land or live in an urban area. Its just a matter of a phone call to your local organization that will gladly pick it up FREE of charge. It makes me sad to see the trees in the dumpster after the holidays…
The stats you share are published by the Christmas Tree Growers industry. They conveniently left one important stat off their list: conventional commercial trees receive heavy applications of dangerous chemicals to control pests–chemicals that pollute the environment and enter our home along with the tree. Real trees should be purchased from farms that don't use dangerous chemicals. Alternative, a USED fake tree can be a good environmental choice. A second-hand artificial tree keeps someone's unwanted plastic tree out of a landfill and is a solid eco-friendly choice. http://tinyurl.com/3a4tjl7
Let the holiday season be a eco friendly season when you can show some extra love for the nature and save the environment from being depleted.
In an effort to be green we purchased really nice gift box sets. They are beautiful, durable and reusable. They don’t require any tape to close because the lids sit on top. It does require the kids not sneaking a peek, but we’ve been using the same boxes for years.