At the beginning of the 2000s, only a few years ago, the vast majority of homes were adorned with a “real” fir tree which sat in the middle of the living room: it was often a common spruce (Picea albies) or a Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana). Today, environmental concerns and ecological practices lead more and more households to abandon natural fir trees to turn to alternatives that protect trees, without giving up the tradition of the fir tree, which can materialize in different forms. How to choose ?
Choosing a real Christmas tree…yes, but not just any tree
Exit plastic artificial trees made in Asia, their environmental impact is exploding. However, some people cannot imagine the end-of-year family celebrations without a beautiful Christmas tree that has grown in a field and whose twigs and thorns give off the characteristic smell of the fir tree. It is better in this case to follow some instructions to buy your Christmas tree well in order to choose a tree that does not harm the environment too much.
In addition to the Label Rouge Christmas tree, there are also trees grown according to the rules of organic farming, or the purchase of potted trees that you will replant in your garden, and even the rental of trees! These solutions preserve the environment much more than fir trees sold cut from intensive conventional cultivation in fir forests which do not at all save biodiversity, especially when the fir trees are imported from Nordic countries.
The carbon footprint of this monoculture which impoverishes the land aggravates the ecological cost of this tree which will reach the recycling center in the best case, the sidewalks in too many circumstances because people do not know what to do with their tree after the holidays, including they will only have benefited from 15 days or 3 weeks… Of course, some brands offer to recover the tree you bought from them for a voucher in their store, which contributes to unbridled consumption, which is also harmful from an environmental point of view. .
Make your own DIY Christmas tree
The trend is becoming more and more in favor of alternatives to real trees sacrificed too quickly. Instead of what is often referred to as an environmental mess, many gardeners prefer personalized and DIY creations (do it yourself) to make an eco-friendly Christmas tree out of recycled materials or pallet wood for example. More and more ideas and tutorials are springing up on the internet allowing everyone to create their own Christmas tree according to their means, their abilities as a handyman, their tastes, their dedicated space, etc.
Less waste, more recycling are the key words today to preserve the planet because there is no “planet B” as chanted by the slogans denouncing the climate emergency! In addition, making this tree with your own hands can also be done with the family, with children who are often fond of creative hobbies. And then, inevitably, your budget will appreciate especially if you only opt for recycled materials.
Thus, after the end of year celebrations, all you have to do is dismantle and store your “unpublished” creation until the following year, with all the “home made” light decorations. Happy sobriety!
As we can see, the choice of the Christmas tree can be political…just like sport!
Written by Nathalie on 28/11/2022