Having A Truly Green Christmas

We all have strong memories of our past holiday seasons. Even with all of the busy times, we are all still able to make the season a healthy one for the environment, no matter which holiday you celebrate. It all comes down to a few simple steps that will lead to a very green holiday season.

One of the main images of the holiday season and one that I always remember fondly is the Christmas tree. Be it real or artificial, you’ll find a decorated tree in many homes. While it would seem that an artificial tree would be a good thing since it means not cutting down a real tree and can be reused every year, there are aspects of the artificial trees that can be a serious detriment. One of the main problems comes from the actual creation of the tree itself. A real tree helps to provide oxygen and reduce the area’s carbon footprint while it is growing and does not require all of the various chemicals that it takes to create an artificial tree. The plastic itself is a petroleum byproduct and lead is also used in the process. Unlike real trees that might have various pesticides and herbicides applied directly to the ground and not the tree itself, the forging of the components for a plastic tree release many dioxins into the air. These dioxins can lead to cancer, damaged immune systems, and impaired child development.

Another benefit of using a real tree comes once the holidays are over. It tends to be a sad day for everyone when the tree is taken down but many communities have set up a way for the tree to keep on giving. Recycling the tree can be used in many ways, like mulch for planting or chippings for paths, beach and shoreline erosion, and fish habitats. The only thing that you can do with a discarded artificial tree is to drop it in a landfill where it will sit and decompose for an extended period of time. The owners of the tree farms use the unsold trees as mulched fertilizer when they begin to grow the next year’s crop. A tree farm is a renewable resource that can sustain itself ecologically with no harm done to the surrounding environment. Practicing the art of “treecycling” helps out all of us.