For many people it is impossible to have Christmas or New Year Eve without a Christmas tree, however, with climate change on our minds, is it really still acceptable for us to be cutting down trees to put in our living room for just a few days?
A chopped-down Christmas tree isn't your only option. Instead of buying a felled tree every year, you can get one with roots that will live on after the festivities. Or you can rent one – that's now also possible in many Christmas-loving countries.
But is that really more sustainable?
The answer is no. Even trees with roots often don't live to see another Christmas. Keeping a potted evergreen alive after a time inside a warm, dry room is tricky. What's more, Christmas trees sold or rented in pots often don't survive the holidays.
As a result, millions and millions of dead evergreens are thrown out every year after Christmas. "Of course it would be nice to be able to reduce this number of trees," said Simon Heitzler, a sustainable forest manager.
This is because many plantations are monocultures that are not natural nor animal friendly – especially when farmers use herbicides and pesticides. However, in recent years there is increasing evidence of farmers using mechanical weed removers in the place of environmentally harmful alternatives.
In sites where Christmas trees are grown, the forest is actually maintained permanently, said Saskia Bluemel from a Christmas tree association in Germany. "Corn fields, on the other hand, are completely cleared after just one year." In addition, the trees absorb carbon dioxide, even if only until the holiday season.
"What matters is where you get the tree from. It's best to buy as locally as possible, for example from the local forest ranger," said Heitzler. This can be rather difficult, however, given the large number of trees needed come Christmas time. "And of course, not every urban household can go to the local forest."
If you can't get a local tree and intend to shop at a retailer, try and pay attention to labels. Try to look for anything that certifies sustainable production. It might help to ask the people working there or try a quick online search.
Plastic?! Experts have a clear attitude on that: Better to stick with the real Christmas tree. Of course, plastic trees last longer, but after a few years, they won't look pretty anymore as the green color fades. Then all that plastic ends up in the bin.
What about taking in a real tree from the garden or a forest and replanting after the holiday season?
This is a nice idea but is difficult to do. It is not feasible to dig up the tree from last year every year, pot it and then get into the house. The idea of donating the tree to a local forest ranger is also nice but difficult in practice.
Firstly, the tree would have to come from the region it grew in. Secondly, many trees have a hard time adjusting and will not survive the changes from the ground to the pot and then into new ground.
Another alternative to buying is renting Christmas trees in pots. Ideally, this will be a regional service without long transport routes. In Europe, they can often be found in larger cities. If you cannot find a regional offer online, you can ask at nearby nurseries.
One of the conditions of the offer is that the tree is well watered. And that, for example, the top of the tree is not cut for ornaments and that no real candles or artificial snow are placed on it. Tinsel is also a bad idea, as the trees often get damaged when this decoration is removed.
If you fail to water the tree properly or break branches, then the rental service will likely charge you the full price for the tree.
It's important to know that this approach to sustainability can cost more. Rental trees are often more expensive than a sawn-off trees. This is because their production in pots and their care are more costly than that of a tree that is cut down and sold.
