The Best Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree

Renting a Living Potted Tree is a Growing Trend

Nov 28, 2009 Lorah Delaney

There is a long running debate about which is more environmentally friendly - a fresh cut Christmas tree or an artificial reusable model. They each have pros and cons.

The advent of the live potted tree option adds another dimension to the real-versus-fake Christmas tree debate. In some areas, companies will deliver a tree, usually up to 7 feet tall, then remove the tree after Christmas and re-plant it where there is a need, e.g. new housing developments or in a local park.

The Original Living Christmas Tree Companyoriginated in Portland, Oregon in 1992. The idea has expanded to a number of other cities including San Diego and San Francisco. A Vancouver, British Columbia company is taking the idea a step further, and reusing the trees year after year as Christmas trees.

Live Potted Christmas Trees Available for Rent in Vancouver

A company called Evergrow Christmas Trees has opened just outside Vancouver, British Columbia. In a report in the Burnaby Now, November 25, 2009, "A tree you can return", Jennifer Moreau reported that after Christmas, 'they take the trees to a nursery, where they get watered and pruned year-round until they get rented out again.' Moreau also states that 'people can request to have the same tree year after year.'

The company was started by a former forestry student, Sean Macalister and Jeff Ferguson. Macalister said, 'this is a very new thing for Vancouver. Everyone's going green now, why not make Christmas green as well?'

Benefits of Renting a Living Christmas Tree

According to the Evergrow Company, there are a number of benefits to renting a live potted Christmas tree.

  • Trees are usually grown locally (within a 50km radius) so there is limited environmental impact in delivery.
  • There is no need for an awkward tree stand - the tree is steady and ready for decorating immediately.
  • Live trees are not a fire hazard if watered just like a regular house plant.
  • The convenience of delivery and pick up make Christmas that bit less stressful.
  • There is zero waste.

Nina Shen Rastogi, Oprah Magazine, December 2009, reported that the average conifer can absorb 1 ton of carbon over 60 years. This is a principal environmental benefit of 'rent a tree' programs.

Christmas Tree Facts and Figures

Rastogi also reports that:

  • 28.2 million real Christmas trees were sold in the United States in 2008
  • 8.9 million artificial trees were imported to the United States in 2008
  • 7.3 pounds of plastic, mostly polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in a typical artificial tree
  • A consumer must use an artificial tree for 20 years before it has a lower carbon footprint than a real tree

Adria Vasil, Ecoholic (2007), says that an artificial tree can clog up landfills for centuries. On the other hand real trees are sprayed with all sorts of chemicals and rodenticides which can cause serious harm. Vasil recommends trying to find organic Christmas trees which are hard to come by.

Christmas Trees are Big Part of Family Traditions

The type of tree that people buy has a lot to do with familial traditions. But as with all eco-friendly advancements, such as LED lights, it may be time for a change in tradition.

There are negatives and positives to real cut trees and artificial trees. There is no down side to using a live potted tree.

HOL101

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The copyright of the article The Best Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree in Green/Simple Living is owned by Lorah Delaney. Permission to republish The Best Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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