green is universal

To Tree or Not to Tree

Dear Mr. Green,

I've been trying to live green this year.  With the holiday season approaching and my attempts at being green so new, I'm wondering... how do you feel about Christmas trees? Live, fake, or freshly cut?  And if they are OK, how can we decorate them in an eco-friendly way?

Thanks and Happy Holidays!
All Tied Up in the Burbs

Dear Festivities over Fatality,

To some, Christmas isn't Christmas without a Christmas tree. But to choose between fake trees, real trees or no trees at all? (Man-o-man...it's tough enough just choosing gifts for those we care about at the holidays but now we need to make a decision about the thing we decorate and present our presents under? Sheeesh!)

Eco-advocates say that the only trees to purchase for holiday decorating purposes are ones that have been raised in an environmentally conscious way. And artificial tree lovers maintain the myth that once-living Christmas trees contribute to deforestation. Then again - on the flip side - we have the opinions of Christmas tree farmers who seem to think that the plastic-bristly artificial tree variety that pops-up pre-decorated out of a box are best suited to scrub toilets instead of sitting center stage during the holidays. Considering so many considerations makes my Christmakwanzukah head spin. (That's Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukah all rolled into to one big holiday blur.)

First, most imitation trees are usually manufactured from petroleum-based materials and are then transported from Asia. While the shaft and the branches are mostly crafted from steel, the vinyl needles are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Studies have shown that artificial trees are actually better for the environment because they illuminate the costs of lugging a real tree from point A to point Z. Add to that, however, the carbon footprint of a ship, train, truck or whatever other means of transportation that carried the phony evergreen tree across the stormy-sea to your place and you've got mountains of wasted energy.

Lead, PVC's and other creepy materials are oftentimes tossed into the mix while manufacturing an artificial holiday shrub - so if your consciousness also encompasses the often exploited, underpaid, and exposed people who actually produce your holiday decorations, that's another consideration. And even worse, if by chance the thing catches fire - expect dioxins and other carcinogens to be emitted into your personal environment. Sure, they last a whole lot longer and are by far cheaper than hacking one down your self. Toxins, aside...the thing smells like a new car instead of a woodland forest. And who wants that...it's the holidays already!

When artificial trees are compared to real trees, real trees are real and - um, I hate to state the over-obvious but - artificial trees are not. Because real trees are grown, they're more environmentally friendly than artificial trees. Locally planted and distributed, an estimated 40 million to 45 million trees were planted in 2008 in North America. While growing, the fresh trees absorb carbon dioxide and provide habitat for wildlife, and - cut or still alive and firmly planted in the ground - just plain old smell good. Once the holidays are over the cut trees can be ground into mulch and are then offered to community gardens, parks and backyard warriors to beautify and protect their perennials and shrubs.

Oftentimes more expensive, not always available locally and more difficult to find, environmentally responsible trees are trees grown with minimal chemicals. The standard growing practices of Christmas trees, unfortunately, on the other hand require chemicals to control damaging critters and to additionally hustle their development along for their impending demise and then sale.

Across the country Parks and Recreation Departments are offering an alternative holiday tree option that also helps improve the community. Customers can dig up live Christmas trees and have them delivered to their home. After the festivities are over and the tree is stripped of its holiday finery they're then picked up and planted locally.

All of that aside - real tree, conscientious tree, or plastic tree - I personally prefer no tree at all. (I only needed to destroy a live tree once to know that participating in this kind of holiday genocide wasn't for me.) Instead, my Jewish partner Richard and I hang portions of our massive collection of our shared Christmas ornaments and his Hanukah do-dads from light fixtures and candelabras and present teaming bowls and tureens of their glittery gaudiness.

If the no-tree option is your choice too, think about decorating a houseplant with stings of popcorn or cranberries, deck a dressmakers form with gingerbread and candies (Christmas-She...get it?), or, quite simply consider stringing lights on the trees in your own front yard - be creative.

Remember, it's not the tree that makes it a merry Christmas, happy Hanukah or a totally cool Kwanzaa...it's the special brand of holiday spirit you share with others that makes it all worthwhile.

about mr. green

From re-gifting, re-cycling, to natural cleaning products for your home, Mr. Green has all of your ecotiquette answers. Our Mr. Green (aka. Michael De Jong), is the author of "CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing." He lives in Jersey City with his partner (Richard,) dog (Jack,) and three goldfish (Phil, Jill and Gill) all of which benefit from his natural cleaning techniques. De Jong, who cleaned apartments in New York City while working as a fine artist, began researching and inventing many of the recipes in "CLEAN" and is continually experimenting with safe, effective and eco-friendly alternatives. Raised in the mid-West by an immigrant family that valued the environment and re-cycled before it was fashionable, his quest for non-toxic solutions comes naturally to him. He is currently writing a companion series of "CLEAN" books dealing with such topics as the body, first aid, organization, and food, as well as posting a weekly Blog on www.thedailygreen.com. "CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing" can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores across the country or on-line at www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com.

Click here to send him a question and he'll put in the elbow grease to scrub out the answers!