Why Use a Real Christmas Tree
Did you have a plastic turkey for Thanksgiving? Then why have a plastic tree for Christmas!
The number one reason people give for using an artificial Christmas tree is that they're tired of dried out trees that leave needles in their carpets after the Christmas season is over. But really fresh trees don't shed needles, and you can be sure to get a fresh tree by cutting your own at a "choose & cut" Christmas tree farm. More important, in the South we have a new Christmas tree, Leyland cypress, that won't shed needles on your carpet and will outlast any other tree on the market, hands down. Kept in water it's not unusual for a Leyland cypress to last two months or more in your home. It's as pretty as any tree you've seen and doesn't seem to bother most allergy sufferers.
What about those stories of real trees becoming a fire hazard if they dry out? With proper care a fresh-cut tree will remain fresh and safe. It's not widely known, but most artificial trees will burn and, when they do, can give off toxic fumes much more dangerous than the fire itself.
Maybe you've heard that using an artificial tree saves trees, thereby improving and maintaining the environment. The truth is nearly all real Christmas trees are planted and grown solely for Christmas trees. If people didn't buy real Christmas trees, much of the land on which they grow would not be growing trees at all. And, as soon as Christmas trees are harvested, new seedlings are planted in their place.
Artificial trees are made from non-renewable resources (most often petroleum) and create hazardous waste both in their manufacture and disposal. Most will pollute our landfills for centuries. On the other hand, real trees are naturally biodegradable, a renewable resource that can be enjoyed forever.
Real trees produce life-giving oxygen as they grow, rid the air of carbon dioxide, provide habitat for wildlife and prevent erosion.
Christmas tree plantations in the United States produce enough oxygen to supply the needs of 18,000,000 people, over 7% of our population.
Furthermore, discarded real Christmas trees are increasingly being recycled. In southern Louisiana they are in great demand for coastal restoration. Ever heard of a plastic tree being recycled?
The adjacent photograph of a "Christmas Tree Fence" being used to reverse coastal erosion in Lafourche Parish Louisiana is courtesy of Clarke Gernon and
, where you'll find the best discussion I've seen of recycling Christmas trees in Louisiana.
How many bird nests have you seen in artificial trees? Louisiana's Christmas Forest provides homes for all kinds of wildlife: song birds, quail, doves, squirrels, Purple Martins, deer and rabbits, to name a few.
And, there are good economic reasons for buying a real Christmas tree. For the most part artificial trees are made overseas, mainly in Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Real Christmas trees are nearly all grown right here in the United States, where they pay local, state and national taxes, create jobs, keep our money at home and improve our environment.
Finally, the beauty and warmth of a real Christmas Tree can't be duplicated by plastic. If we're willing to substitute fake trees for real, how long will it be before other Christmas traditions and the true meaning of the Season are also forgotten? So, this year, why not leave that plastic tree in the attic and try a real tree from a local choose & cut Christmas Tree farm?
