Buying a Real Christmas Tree

One of the most environmentally-conscious activities in which you can participate is to purchase a real Christmas tree every year.

Immature evergreen seedlings exude far more oxygen into the atmosphere by volume than more mature trees. Therefore, the Christmas tree farmer is helping the environment to a tremendous degree by planting hundreds or even thousands of tree seedlings every year.

When customers buy a real Christmas tree, that tree will be replaced in the ground by a seedling that will exude even more oxygen.

Clearly, if you buy a fake tree then no seedlings get planted in the ground and no more oxygen is exuded into the atmosphere. In addition, significant greenhouse gasses are exuded during the manufacture of the fake trees and many non-renewable resources are used in their production. Fake Christmas trees have a long half-life, so when they are disposed-of, they remain in a landfill, polluting, for a long time. A real tree is recyclable.

In addition to buying a real Christmas tree, we recommend buying one from a local choose-and-cut tree farm. The local economy will then be supported and you can be assured that your tree will be very fresh, thereby optimizing needle retention. In addition, visiting a choose-and-cut tree farm during the Christmas season is a wonderful experience, as there are usually many interesting activities in which to participate. To find a choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm near you, please visit www.christmastrees.on.ca/consumers/harvest-your-own.html.