As the holiday season approaches, many of us participate by decorating our homes. From inflatable reindeer in the yard, to stockings hung by the chimney with care, we all have our own style and tradition. Perhaps the staple of Christmas décor however is the Christmas tree. Whether you decorate with white lights or colored, tinsel or ribbon, we almost all have that one corner in our house where the tree is sure to go.
While the honorary tradition of the mighty Christmas tree seems simple, the options for obtaining a tree are not. A hugely mistaken belief is that cutting down a real Christmas tree is bad for the environment. The thought process of course being, that you are cutting down a tree, removing it from the wild, and killing it.
But this couldn’t be farther from the truth! In fact, making a tradition of keeping a live Christmas tree is sustainable, great for the environment, and can continue to be of use long after December 25th.
Almost all real Christmas trees are cut and harvested off of tree farms. Tree farms usually reside on rocky soils that do not support other types of agriculture – therefore you are supporting your local farmers and family-owned businesses who might not be able to make money from other crops. Aside from this, buying real trees from your local growers ensures that they can stay in business, which in turn ensures that they keep their land covered in healthy forest habitat that some wildlife depends on for survival. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, for every tree that is purchased and cut down, 1-2 more seedlings are planted in its place.
Real trees also help fight climate change. It may take 8-12 years for a spruce or fir to reach the appropriate Christmas tree height. During that time, the trees are absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing clean oxygen, which helps to slow climate change. If people didn’t buy these farmed trees, farmers wouldn’t plant them in the first place. In contrast, artificial trees have three times the impact on climate change.
Artificial trees are made with plastic and steel, which means they are NOT recyclable and will eventually end up in local landfills and likely stay there for up to a 1,000 years!! Not to mention that most of these artificial trees are made overseas and shipped across the world, resulting in an increase of carbon emissions for production and transport. While using one artificial tree year after year may seem sustainable, the creation and disposal of them have severe consequences to the workers who make them, and the planet.
Aside from the benefit real trees have on the environment, many opt to cut their own tree out of family tradition. A survey taken in 2019 for the Christmas Tree Promotion Board, showed that people who purchased real Christmas trees were more likely to highly value creating new holiday traditions with family than those who preferred artificial trees. And of course, nothing beats the smell of a real evergreen.
Once Christmas is over, the environmental benefits of a real tree don’t yet end! There are many things you can opt to do with your tree after Santa has come and gone for the season. You can repurpose your conifer into mulch for your yard or garden. You can also simply compost the tree as a whole. By stripping the branches from the trunk, you can make decorations, bird feeders, or even wigwams for garden plants.
You can also replant your tree!! Some places actually sell potted Christmas trees for this exact purpose. Otherwise, you would be surprised at how resilient trees are – even with their roots chopped off. Another option for your Christmas tree is to turn it into wildlife habitat. Simply placing your tree in the woods or your yard can create a safe haven for many small animals who must cope with the rain, cold, and snow.
Some conservation agencies, and gardening centers would be happy to have your old trees. They can be used to create wildlife habitat, prevent sand dune erosion, and much more. Zoos and wildlife centers will oftentimes also accept these old trees as a treat for their furry residents – goats love to eat them too!
Overall, cutting a real Christmas tree supports our forests and our planet. Science shows that the best way to protect forests is to use them sustainably. By planting more trees and restoring our forests, we can reduce carbon emissions by more than 30%. And what is the season of giving, if not giving back to our planet?
Happy Holidays!
