We got our Christmas tree today. How is it that getting a tree on December 4th makes one feel behind? All the neighbors seem to have their trees already! I remember years ago, when I lived in NYC and I had a little tree for my studio apartment that I got on Dec 1 and I was so amazed that I got it that early and enjoyed it for over a month! I also loved looking at the tree all lit up while snuggled up all cozy in my bed--a benefit of a studio! I had a Murphy bed that transformed my living room into a bedroom and I decided I always wanted to have a Christmas tree in my bedroom. But alas, that hasn't happened since then.
But back to the tree. I had a hard time deciding this year where to get the tree. There are three main options: fake, supermarket parking lot, or U-cut. Now, I'm an Oregonian and for those of you outsiders, you may not know that Oregon is the largest producers of Christmas trees in the world with 8.2 million trees being harvested this year alone. That's a whole lotta needles there, Mabel. So, to not have a real tree is well, rather embarrassing for an Oregonian. Which is not to say we don't have a fake tree up in our attic. I'll admit it, we do. We bought it a few years ago when we were going to Minnesota for Christmas and didn't want a dead tree in the house for over a week while we were gone, and to take it down before Christmas, well, seems downright criminal! I gotta admit, fake trees with their built-in lights are sweet. Let's face it--fighting with the tangled web of lights is hardly the stuff of movies and sweet memories.
Of course we hear a lot these days about being "green" so I started to wonder what is really more green--a fake tree or a real one? I read an article in the Oregonian last week where a Christmas tree farmer said, "You'd have to be a pretty poor salesman if you couldn't make the case that one of my trees isn't a lot greener than a plastic Christmas tree from China."
Hmmm? Now, since we already own a fake tree (for the reason stated above), all the energy it takes is that of my husband dragging it down from the attic. Let's compare that how I got my tree this year: we drove to a Lees Farm, about 10 miles away. A worker there cut down a living tree using a chain saw. They loaded up on a flat bed pulled by a tractor and used a machine to shake it for loose needles and another to twine it up. And of course, there's all that energy that was used planting, nurturing, watering, feeding, pruning that tree for years. The tree does give back though--cleaner air for all of us!
But, the reality? A tree that just a few hours ago was live and growing, is now standing in our living room, shedding needles even as a I speak. And our fake tree is still in our attic.
Perhaps the best option is to just go to the parking lot sales--at least those trees are already dead and will be turned into mulch if they don't get bought. But where's the romance and tradition of the yearly family outing to...the parking lot at Freddies?
Oh, the conundrum! It's not easy being green. Last year we used the fake one. This year we cut our own and had a fun family outing (sans Dad who was at work--we didn't want to fight the crowds at the farms on the weekend nor did we have time to schlep out to a farm.) We bought farm-made donuts. We went through the hay mazes. Fun fun fun.
What's your tree opinion? What do you think is the greenest thing to do?
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3 comments:
For years, I knew a family who had a small tree farm in Sherwood. My tradition then was that I'd go to Thanksgiving at their house and their kids would help me pick a tree after the meal. Sometimes for the following year. We'd mark it with construction tape and then when I had access to a truck in the right season I'd go cut it. Best of all worlds, and grown to order. I don't like triangle trees so they always left mine all sprawly when the trimmer guys came. The trees got bigger every year of course, and the last tree from their place that I cut was well over 20 feet and had a trunk about 12" across. We cut just the top 10 feet off for indoors and the rest became firewood. That tree touched 3 of the 4 walls in my parlor and poked a hole in the ceiling which I kept for nostalgia until the last time I painted. The family is gone, the tree farm was sold, and their grown kids still talk to their kids about my ragged trees. I vote for live trees.
Storm
When it comes to being green, the thing that tugs on my conscience is whether something decomposes or sits in a land fill for a gazillion years and poisons the earth. So, my vote is for the live tree. But then, the other conundrum is, what if you already have an artificial tree? You sold your soul to the devil when you bought it (just kidding, I have one too :) ) So you might as well keep using it, right? On that note, we're going to go get our live tree today :( I don't use Ziploc bags, so I feel I'm entitled to some land fill contribution.
i have been having the very same debate, and still without resolve. sigh. time might dictate what happens. was hoping for the family tree cutting experience, but stuck over the ecology of it all, and also, like you, adding more death to this world. it is a tough one, eh? last year i saved one from lowe's for $6(i like to save things), although it was the kind my husband is allergic to (i knew that, but thought we could stick it closed in the sunroom for $6 instead of $35). Jim survived, the tree was repurposed from the soon-to-be dumpster, yet we have no fun memories of family tree cutting (oh, and i nearly wrecked my car on the way home from lowe's that night). let the conundrum continue...
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