Real vs. Fake Christmas trees...

Real vs. Fake Christmas trees...

www.msnbc.msn.com

"Broke down & bought a faux Xmas tree. It's nice, and I'm psyched for no needle clean-up, but still a bit apprehensive. Your experiences?"

(visit the link for the full news article)

This makes me laugh! Honestly... I remember growing up and having real trees. BUt now, I only use faux.

But the main reason I'm laughing at this is because this does not hit on a subject that I think is more valuable...

Is it worth growing trees to cut them down. Thusfor contributing to global warming and all the fun stuff that goes along with deforestation.

It kind of makes me wonder... How many enviornmentalists have real trees in their house. you can have the same experiance with a faux tree and a pine scented Gldae plug in.

Happy holidays!

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The next person to rival the wealth of Bill Gates will be the guy who invents a fake tree that smells like a real one.

I am currently thinking about possibly putting forth 5 minutes worth of effort into thinking about how to do it.

I don't have a tree in my house. But if I did, it would be fake. I can't see growing trees to cut them down in their youth and then throw them in the landfill. I think it's a shame.

But we're surrounded by fir trees and I have been known to bring a few branches inside for the season and then toss them in the compost pile.

I grew up with my parents taking me and my siblings out to chop down a Christmas tree every year. They made an event out of choosing the "perfect" tree. It was fun, but ever since I got married and had my oldest we have had a fake tree. Mostly for selfish reasons, one less thing to pay for each Christmas, but once I grew up and started thinking about it I didn't understand the reason behind cutting down a tree to stick it in your house for a few weeks until it completely dies instead of buying a fake one that never dies. Of course I can't keep a potted plant alive, so I try to stay away from plants and trees because as soon as I touch one it will undoubtedly die. And then I feel bad for killing a plant.

Great post. We have been using grandma's fake tree since we started our family and I just recently had a discussion about the same principals with a co-worker. I have always kind of had the feeling I was just being lazy but with the way things are going with the environment change, it does make sense to save yourself a few bucks by purchasing a tree you can re-use year after year.

We have friends who planted the fir trees their children got at school on Arbor day into 10 gallon planter pots and re-use the same natural tree every year. They just keep it in a Radio Flyer wagon so they can just pull it inside after Thanksgiving. The pot restricts the growth of the trees and every few years they pull it out of the planter and cut the roots back. Some years it looks like the Charlie Brown tree, but for them it is about the meaning and not so much the quality of the tree.

Holiday Skirmish: Oscitate vs Americandingbat: Fake Trees Are More Green And Festive Than Real Ones?

Here is a fun debate on the subject...

Originally posted by Government Cheese
The next person to rival the wealth of Bill Gates will be the guy who invents a fake tree that smells like a real one.

I am currently thinking about possibly putting forth 5 minutes worth of effort into thinking about how to do it.

Simple enough really. Just get a few pine scented car fresheners and hang them from the limbs. They'll even serve as very low brow ornaments taboot!

reply to post by Jkd Up


In the course of my research for the Real vs Artificial Christmas Tree debate, I've come across a lot of information on this topic that's not as light and goofy as what gets presented there.

Here's just one link, I have lots more

Nearly all the environmental sites I visited recommend real trees over fake trees.

Christmas trees are farmed, so you're not cutting down "natural forests." For every tree harvested, an average between 2 and 3 new trees is planted. During their lives, they function as a carbon sink, and after you're done with them they can be recycled into mulch either on your own or by the municipality. They are grown in all 50 states, so it should always be possible to find one grown locally to you, and farmers markets and the like will often offer organically grown christmas trees.

Fake trees are mostly made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which does not ever break down – those trees stay in the landfill forever. The manufacturing process produces lots of nasty runoff, including using lots of lead. Not all the lead is extracted from the trees in the manufacturing process, and after about six years of use (less than it takes to save money by using fake trees) many PVC trees begin shedding lead-bearing dust.

They especially recommend you not use older trees, and that you wash your hands and arms after handling them

The vast majority of fake trees are made in China. There are reports from political prisoners who were used as slave labor in tree-making factories, and of course the hazardous chemicals used in the manufacture mostly end up as runoff into the groundwater.

For another argument on why you shouldn't buy artificial, it is my contention in the debate that MemShock posted a link to that they are involved in a hideous brush-makers conspiracy to cover our landscape (and soon Mars) with these:

reply to post by americandingbat


Thank you for inserting some sanity here. Real tree's are way better for the environment than fake ones. They aren't cutting down old growth timber here folks.....

reply to post by Karlhungis


The "Holiday Skirmishes" in the Debate Forum are supposed to be lighthearted fun.

After I read up on fake trees, it took me about two days to be able to come up with a goofy argument instead of going on a righteous rampage.

edit: so now I got my rampage in too

[edit on 12/19/08 by americandingbat]

Well, you have a fine argument in this thread. Good job.

reply to post by Deson


You could add a little glitter to them and make them a bit fancier.

I used to always have real trees, but now I'm paranoid about fire so I have a fake tree.

reply to post by ahimsa


Ooooh! Thanks, I knew I forgot something

As long as you keep your real tree watered, it is no more likely to go up in flames than a fake tree.

38% of Christmas Tree fires are fake trees.

And a real tree advocacy group did a comparison that demonstrated that not only did the fake tree burn as easily as the real tree, it continued burning until it was fully engulfed, whereas the real tree went out after burning one side. Admittedly, this was an advocacy group, but the photos are available if you're interested at fire photos.

Guess I will have to switch to a ceramic tree now.

It just seems morbid to decorate something that is dieing because it was chopped down. I don't like getting flowers either; hate watching things die.

reply to post by ahimsa


And that's an argument I have no real refutation for

It doesn't seem morbid to me, but then I eat meat, wear leather, and buy flowers.