Carmen Szeto Designs

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Green December Day 9 - Christmas Trees

I stopped… buying artificial Christmas trees

This one seems like a bit of a controversy because real trees are being cut down for just a month’s use but compared to artificial trees, getting a real tree actually comes with a lot of positive impacts. I bought my Fraser Fir from Evergreen Brickworks which was sustainably and locally harvested. I also recently heard about tree-renting where you can rent a real potted Christmas tree if you have the cash for it!

Why

With every tree harvested, there are 10 trees growing to replace it, which means that your money to cut this tree down is being contributed to something that is actually helping the environment. Apparently just 1 acre of trees can cleanse up to 13 tonnes of air pollutants each year, and Christmas tree farms are certainly better for the environment than animal farms.

When you’re ready to get rid of your tree, your municipality will have designated tree-collection dates where they will be recycled into mulch, compared to the artificial trees that will take centuries to degrade while leeching harmful chemicals during the process.

And the last obvious pro in buying a real tree is the amazing pine smell!