Image via WikipediaOne of the controversies that pop up every Christmas Season is the ecological consequences of having a real tree vs. a fake one. The arguments are a fake tree is reused over and over again while the real tree uses resources and eventually ends up in a landfill. Artificial trees are made of plastic, made overseas, take up storage space and don't always look that authentic.
Keen entrepreneurs have given us a third option and that is to rent your Christmas tree. Several firms on the West Coast have come up with the idea of renting living trees. Trees are delivered to your home in pots, and picked up after the season is over. During the year the trees stay in a nursery and our cared for to use again next season. You can even adopt-a-tree. This allows you to receive the same tree every year. You can even give it a name.
For all the tree huggers maybe the rent a tree is the best option. The tree is used over and over again saving the environment. You will be able to rent different kinds and sizes of trees every year so maybe it's not such a bad idea. It doesn't end up in a landfill.
Personally my family enjoys going down to the tree lot picking out the tree and carting it home. It's a fun tradition we aren't going to change for the near future. The kids have always enjoyed it. We have been able to get an even lower price this year with the competition from private tree lots and their big retail competitor (Home Depot). This year we spent half of what we usually spend.
After the season ends the city picks up the discarded tree separately from the other trash and they bring it to a place where the tree is put in a chipper to make mulch. Seems pretty ecologically friendly to me.
So how does the prices compare? The price for a living tree runs between $100-$150 to rent versus $50- $65 to buy a cut one. I paid $32 for mine. What a deal.
We got an artificial tree handed down from the grandma when she passed away. The Mrs. has a great time putting it up every year and it's nice enough. :)
ReplyDeleteA real Christmas tree sure smells good though.
They sure do. We have a Noble Fir this year. Usually get a Fraser Fir. They smell great.
ReplyDeleteOur tree was in the front yard for ten years. We planted it when we moved into a house and decorated it every year.
ReplyDeleteSince we moved, we went artificial. Not the same- in any way....
I can't imagine how growing trees is bad for the environment.
ReplyDeleteAlmost all real Christmas trees that people buy are grown on tree farms that wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Christmas. Its not like they're clear cutting the rain forests or something. So the fact that people buy real Christmas trees means that those trees are planted. I really can't see how planting and then cutting down trees is bad for the environment.
Renting a tree: 1 tree exists per household
Buying a fake tree: oil turned into plastic in China and shipped via boat to the US
Buying cut trees every year: ~5-10 trees exist in the grown growing at different stages so that 1 will mature each year and be cut down.