December 5th, 2007
But in our family, a new home with lower ceilings, required us to replace our 12-foot artificial tree that had lasted 14 years with something smaller. After reviewing the options, we went with a 7.5 foot tree (cost: $139, Home Depot).
Why not the real thing? The new tree was imported from China and is made from petroleum-based plastics, I learned. So we didn’t buy local and petroleum is not a renewable resource. Bad on two counts. However, there is something to be said about re-using and recycling. We were able to donate our 14-year-old tree to a family via the Salvation Army. And if the new tree lasts even half as long as our previous one, that means seven years of not cutting a tree down.
As authors Nikki and David Goldbeck explain in their book Choose to Reuse, “Reuse in the broadest sense means any activity that lengthens the life of an item….This may mean developing products that are reusable, long-lived.” Such as an artificial Christmas tree.
There is also the issue of allergies to live trees. Both of our kids are allergic to evergreens. Not having to visit the pediatrician during the holidays is always a plus.
However, buying a fresh-cut tree is the choice for many families and the best choice according to the National Christmas Tree Association. There are good green reasons to do so. Trees can be recycled, are biodegradable and can be turned into mulch. Their fresh scent can’t be beat and purchasing one locally sustains the economy.
PAPER OR E-CARDS?
As for greeting cards, there are several options. Sending the traditional holiday card on recycled paper is one idea; another might be to eliminate the paper card and send your wishes in an e-card.
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