Last December, during the end-of-term Christmas Quiz, the RHS level 2 tutor put up the following question;
‘Which is more sustainable; a real Christmas tree or an artificial one?’
I was suddenly filled with horror at the thought that some plastic affair, manufactured from strips of khaki green astro-turf and tinsel, twisted around a wire frame might possibly come out on top, just because it can be used and reused, year after year.
What should you think about, when procuring a real Christmas tree?
Sourcing ‘real’ Christmas trees needs careful consideration. Where is it grown? How many carbon miles will it clock up, getting to market? Is it locally grown and does its production and sale provide employment for local people?
Can you go and select and harvest it yourself, to reduce over-harvesting, and ensure optimal freshness? Is it potted with a root ball, so it can be replanted outside and then dug up to be used again over the next few years?
And at the end of its life as a Christmas tree, does it go to landfill (like the plastic ones), the municipal green waste (for compost), or does it get chipped or shredded for other garden uses, such as paths or mulches?
Save money with a tree with roots
From my own experience, real trees potted with a root ball and transplanted into the garden between Christmases, or even cared for still in their pots, can be an extremely cost-effective solution; A few years ago, when we were still living in our old house in Hulme, my boys went out one December Saturday for the ritual Christmas tree buying, returning with a beautiful specimen; just the right height to fit on top of the chest of drawers in our crowded living room, without grazing the ceiling.
I remember fishing the price tag out of the bin and thinking that £25 was absolutely extortionate for such a small tree. It was, however, potted with its root-ball, so we used it the following year, and £12.50 per use didn’t seem so bad. And the next year… now down to £8 per use! That’s more like it.
After the third Christmas, we decided to transplant it in to a bigger pot, and took it with us to our present house in Whalley Range, where it spent its first year being ignored at the bottom of our new and much larger garden. I recall using it at least one more time, before neglect combined with the hot dry weather of the summer of 2018 finally did for it.
Artificial trees can be sustainable too…
If you prefer an artificial tree, according to the Carbon Trust, it needs to be used for at least ten years before becoming the most sustainable option. It needn’t be plastic; there are many beautiful trees available, made from twigs, wicker, driftwood and sculpted wire. And once you’ve dug out those old friends, the tree ornaments, from a dusty corner of the loft, all types of tree look beautiful and festive, once decorated.
