Decorate a Living Tree

It's the time of year when many of us journey out to the Christmas tree lot and select our newly-chopped tree to take home and decorate. While decorating brings family and friends together (try it with rummed-up eggnog!), here is a tip to maximize the eco-friendliness of your holiday season.

If you are planning to purchase a tree this holiday season, the greenest choice is a living tree that can be reused or replanted. If this is not an option, natural trees are still the greener alternative to artificial trees. Artificial trees are usually made from non-renewable PVC plastic, contain trace amounts of lead, and tend to be discarded only after six seasons. At this point, they usually end up in your local landfill. On the other hand, real holiday trees can be mulched and reused in compost.

If just 10 percent of households purchased a natural tree over an artificial one, 44 million pounds of nonbiodegradable materials could be conserved and diverted from landfills. Some communities offer potted trees that can be replanted in the New Year.

A nonprofit in San Francisco announced yesterday that it would help distribute living trees which they would then pick up and replant after the holidays. There may be similar programs in your city or town; please be sure to check your local paper and the internet for your options. My sleigh bells just got a bit greener!  Time to replenish the nog. Source: The Green Book, NPR.