If you’re interested in promoting energy conservation, environmentalism, or sustainability, then there are several ways that you can do so by having a greener Christmas. First, if possible, consider purchasing a Christmas tree that is locally grown and organically produced. If you buy a tree that’s locally grown, then you’ll help promote energy conservation by not purchasing a tree that’s been delivered from a great distance by using fossil fuels. Organic trees can provide the benefit of being chemical free and pesticide free. If you can get a tree with both attributes, then you’ll promoting two very important environmental principals — energy conservation and organic agriculture. From The Dalles Chronicle Local News:

To pass muster, a farm must be inspected to ensure that it meets certain standards for managing wetlands, nutrients and pests. Water and soil conservation measures are reviewed, and biodiversity and worker safety are also considered.

The trees are not organically grown, but the coalition says the measures help mitigate some of the environmental dangers of Christmas tree farming, such as excessive use of pesticides and contribution to erosion.

A novel idea is to rent a Christmas tree that can be replanted. From LivingChristmasTrees.org:

[The Original Living Christmas Tree Company] makes it convenient for you to have a live tree. You don’t have to haul it around or buy a pot or have a place to plant it. TOLCTC takes care of all that for you. Some of the money you pay to rent your Christmas tree goes toward lowering the price of your tree to the group that buys and plants your Christmas tree, so by renting a tree from us you’d be subsidizing the price of trees to planting groups like; watershed councils, parks departments, churches and schools. This is our Sixteenth year. Over two thousand trees have been planted. Living Christmas Trees are planted where they grow old and improve the environment.

Although fake Christmas trees might be petroleum based and aren’t biodegradable, they can be reused for many years. Via the Huffington Post:

We have an artificial tree. The same one we’ve had for 10+ years (before that we had a used artificial tree). We do have to replace it next year as its finally falling apart. I think that’s not too bad as far as sustainability. We will also go all LED next year. This year we’re about 50/50, but we’re going all LED as soon as they go on sale.

And more food for thought from this comment at the Huffington Post:

Beware of Christmas Trees,,,,they are cancer causing. Loaded with herbicides pesticides and other chemicals. They are not safe for kids or adults. But you won’t find this out from the National Tree Growers Association,,,,its big business. And after the trees are cut down the ground is polluted with the chemicals for many years to come and it wouldn’t be safe to grow food for decades. Try artificial or some other sensible plant,,,,forget these mass produced evergreens.

You can also have a greener Christmas by using LED lights. The Rockefeller Christmas tree will use LEDs this year to promote energy conservation. From TIME:

Choose LEDs (light-emitting diodes) instead of incandescent bulbs to decorate your tree and home. They’re more expensive, but last much longer and use 80% to 90% less power than conventional mini bulbs. LEDs, which cast a bright white light, also stay cool to the touch so they won’t singe the tree—or your child’s fingers. Brookstone.com’s oversized multicolored LEDs—$10 per 12-ft. strand—look just like the lights Dad used to put up.

Also consider:

1. Purchasing reusable wrapping paper and gift bags
2. Donating your unwanted Christmas tree for an erosion-control project. For example, “since 1989, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and its Coastal Restoration Division (CRD) have been conducting a Christmas Tree Fence Program, using trees to help protect state’s coastal wetlands.”
3. Donating unwanted Christmas trees to “help researchers fight the flu. Some evergreen tree leaves bristle with shikimic acid, an important starter material for the antiflu drug Tamiflu.”
4. Donating your live Christmas trees to be used to make wildlife habitat such as nesting structures for herons, egrets, and cormorants or to improve recreational fishing grounds and fish habitat. Trees can also be used to make mulch, for dune restoration, for trail construction, and to produce electricity. These stories and more can be found at the National Christmas Tree Association

On the Net:

1. Olivia Zaleski’s How To Green Your Christmas Tree
2. Green Wrap and Gift Bags
3. Real vs. Artificial Christmas Tree

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