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Article of the Month
- December, 2007
Making An Eco-Friendly
Choice:
The Environmental Debate Settled
Excerpted
from the National Christmas Tree Association -
www.christmastree.org/home.cfm
 Each holiday season, there are news articles, web
sites and commentators who debate whether it is better for the
environment: to use an artificial Christmas tree or a natural
Christmas tree. This can often be confusing to consumers who want to
make an eco-friendly choice, but can’t find a simple,
straight-forward “apples to apples” comparison.
The table below illustrates why live Christmas Trees
are the best environmental choice. Choosing a live Christmas tree
also supports local economies and they smell better!
| |
Live
Christmas Trees |
Artificial Christmas
Trees |
|
Place or Origin |
Unites States and
Canada. |
85% from China. |
Method of
production |
Farming
- planting takes place January to May
- estimated 40-45 million trees planted in North
America
- estimated 446 million trees growing on farms in the
US
- tree farms support complex ecosystems
|
Factory
- raw materials are sent to factory and assembled into
final product
- product is shipped to the US, then distributed to
stores
- number of factories unknown
- factories consume natural resources and do not
contribute to ecosystems
|
|
Components |
Plant tissue; 100%
biodegradable. |
Plastics and metals;
non-biodegradable. |
|
PVC Free? |
Yes. |
No. |
|
Lead Free? |
Yes. |
No; lead is used in the
process of making PVC. |
|
Carbon neutral? |
Yes.
- Trees absorb carbon, dioxide.
- When decomposing carbon, nitrogen, and other
elements are released into the soil
|
No.
- Plastic is a petroleum byproduct
|
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Chemicals? |
No.
- Scientists have measured cut Christmas trees for
chemical residuals and not found any significant amounts
- Many different bugs, fungi, and parasites can attack
and kill trees, so farmers may use pesticides to keep
trees healthy and alive until harvest
- Most pesticides are ground applied
- Herbicides are used to suppress, not kill off, weed
to prevent erosion
|
Yes.
- PVC itself is a dangerous chemical
- Manufacture of PVC creates and disperses dioxins,
the most toxic man-made chemical known
- Released into air or water, dioxins enter the food
chain, where they accumulate in fatty tissues of animals
and humans, a potential risk for causing cancer,
damaging immune functions and impairing children's
development
|
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Disposal |
Recycled. Cut
trees can be used in variety of ways, such as winter habitat
for birds and small mammals. Decomposing trees add nutrients
back into the soils. |
Landfill. Artificial trees
cannot be recycled. |
|
Renewable
Resource? |
Yes. New trees are
planted every year. |
No. Petroleum used to make
plastics are non-renewable resources, as are metals. |
|
Eco-friendly? |
Yes. |
No. |
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