So are you using real or fake Christmas tree this year?
Lots of people like the convenience of artificial, no needles stuck in the carpet, and it's a one time expense.
But others like the traditional real tree.
This holiday season, millions of Ontarians will look to find the perfect Christmas tree for their homes.
The lobby group, Forests Ontario claims that purchasing real Christmas trees is more environmentally friendly than artificial trees.
Many Ontarians agree, according to a recent province-wide poll, commissioned by Forests Ontario. Nearly half (48.3%) of respondents selected real Christmas trees as the environmental choice. This was significantly higher than the one-third of those polled who thought artificial trees were better for the planet.
Central Ontario and Niagara/Hamilton were most in favour of the environmental merits of real trees—over 60% of respondents in each region selected real trees as the environmentally friendly choice. Interestingly, the GTA (not including Metro Toronto) was the only region of the Province that had a higher response in favour of artificial trees, however, numbers for artificial and real support in the GTA were a near even split.
“It is encouraging to see people’s awareness about the benefits of real Christmas trees trending in the right direction,” said Rob Keen, CEO of Forests Ontario. “Christmas trees are planted and harvested by hundreds of farmers across Ontario, who place a priority on long-term sustainability. They are managed in a similar fashion to the local crops that we find on our plates.”
There are many benefits of real Christmas trees:
- Christmas trees are sustainably raised, often on marginal land that wouldn't support other types of agriculture.
- One acre of Christmas trees produces enough oxygen to meet the daily need of 18 people.
- Trees provide wildlife habitat and soil and water retention.
- Christmas tree plantations act as a carbon dioxide sink.
- 100% biodegradable.
Cut your own tree locally http://longfarms.ca/
In comparison, artificial trees are non-biodegradable, their manufacturing process requires large amounts of fossil fuels, they eventually end up in landfills and are often foreign-made. The transportation of artificial trees halfway around the world adds significantly to their overall environmental footprint.
Buying locally-grown trees further adds to the environmental benefits of real trees by eliminating much of the product transportation required. In addition, these purchases strengthen local communities.
Ontario has over 600 farmers who produce more than one million Christmas trees each year.
