I grew up in the upper Midwest surrounded by forests. Every Christmas we would go into the nearby woods to cut down a tree. I can still remember how wonderful the fresh cut northern Balsams smelled.
The Christmas, or Solstice, tree is an old tradition. It started with Nordic and Druidic cultures thousands of years ago. Many ancient cultures saw the evergreen as a symbol of life during cold harsh winters. Some brought live trees into their homes. Some decorated their homes with branches. The fragrance, steeped in piney terpenes, the green of the boughs, seemed to have health benefits. The tradition continued and as Christianity spread the evergreen became a symbol of eternal life.
Like many of you, I have weighed the issue of whether it is ecologically conscious to have a real tree. There has been a legendary debate about real trees vs. fake trees. Which has a larger carbon footprint? You might be surprised by the consensus.
According to Marvin Lee, who writes for earth.org., “Real Christmas trees have an average carbon footprint of 3.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) if they are disposed of by chipping, recycling or composting. In contrast an artificial tree is estimated to have the equivalent of 40 kilograms of CO2 should it be discarded. You would have to use your fake tree for some 12 years for it to be as eco-friendly as a real Christmas tree.”
Artificial trees are made of plastics and metals. They are neither biodegradable nor recyclable. Most of them are made in China and shipped on long-haul shipping routes that add to their high carbon footprints.
In the U.S. we buy some 30 million Christmas trees a year. That may not be a bad thing.
“Well managed forests really play a huge role in the climate solution,” said Andy Finton, of the Nature Conservancy. “Trees of all sorts are pulling carbon from the atmosphere and storing it and reducing the amount of carbon pollution and thus the pace of climate change.”
Most Christmas trees are young spruce, fir, or pine grown on plantations. They grow for about 10 years before they are cut. Generally, for every tree cut, nine remain. And for every tree cut one or more new trees are planted.
“It’s quite nice as a way of maintaining a set of trees, because you always need new trees coming through to be harvested the following years,” says John Kaze, a footprint certification expert at the Carbon Trust.
Plantations can also increase biodiversity and habitat for birds and insects in intense agricultural settings.
A lot of the trees that find their way to our Christmas tree lots and box stores are grown elsewhere and shipped long distance. But we have local tree farms.
Cassidy Farms has been growing and selling trees for more than 40 years. The farm is in northern New Mexico, near the Mora Valley. It spans more than 8 acres at an altitude of 7,300 feet. For the 2024 season, Cassidy Farms has a limited supply of very fresh white fir Christmas trees.
You can also get a permit from the U.S. Forest Service and cut your own. That is my favorite option. The permits are only $10 a tree. It is a very environmentally friendly way to get a tree and great fun.
Take the kids and the dog and spend an afternoon tramping around in the snow. These trees need to be thinned. Thinning will help the remaining trees resist fire, decrease competition for water, and lower the risks of pests. It is good for the forest and entirely sustainable.
If you are going to have a real tree in your home, it is important to keep it fresh and well hydrated during the holiday season. The best way to know if it is fresh is to cut it yourself. But extension experts suggest you can test the freshness of a tree from a tree lot with a pull test. Just pull on a shoot. If the tree is fresh, needles should not come off in your hand.
Make sure your tree has plenty of water every day. Be sure to cut off an inch or so off the base when you put it in the tree stand. It needs recutting so it can properly uptake water. A fresh tree needs up to one quart of water a day per inch of diameter. Use fresh water only, without supplements, and your tree should stay fresh for the season.
Have a sustainable Christmas.
Published on December 8, 2024, in the Albuquerque Journal.
© Judith Polich. All Rights Reserved. May be republished with author’s written consent and proper attribution.