Hippyshopper Guide to: a Greener Christmas Tree

We came against a question this week at Shiny Towers that really seems to divide people: What's the greenest type of Christmas tree?

Some say a plastic tree is greener because it doesn't involve killing a tree, or putting aside heaps of land to grow them. Others argue that a real tree is greener because (a) trees = good, plastic = bad and if you keep your tree alive after twelfth night, all the better. Personally, I would never want a plastic tree in my house, and I would hate to give up that fragrant and beautiful aspect of Christmas that is the tree. So, I've done fair bit of research into finding green ones to justify my whim. This is what I discovered...

You tree's upbringing...
The first consideration is how your tree was grown. In the UK, the Forestry Commission is the best source for sustainably-grown trees: for each tree grown, another is planted, and its Norway Spruces now all have Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. This means that everything possible is done to ensure the trees are grown and harvested sustainably. And they are readily available: you can find your nearest Forestry Commission tree sales centre here.

Tree-loving
Remember, your tree is a living thing, and needs to be treated with care and respect to keep it 'happy'! An old piece of wisdom that any good tree-grower will know is that once cut, the tree has to sit outside for 3 days and not be moved. This is because the poor thing actually goes into shock! So, if a grower boasts about getting you a 'freshly cut tree' that's come straight out of the ground, be sure to say no. An unhappy tree will lose all its needles and droop, so there's a cosmetic as well as a compassionate reason to treat it kindly. Any sellers certified by the British Tree Growers Association will be clued up on these facts, so look out for the logo when you buy your tree.

A lot of pesticides get used in tree-farming, so you might want to try and find an organic grower. There aren't a lot of them about, but the Soil Association should be able to tell you where to find your nearest one.

After twelfth night
Re-planting your tree isn't the only sustainable way to handle its post-Christmas phase: of course, if you've got space for a small forest of fir trees (or a big enough pot) this can be a wonderful way to introduce more oxygen into the atmosphere, but if not, recycling is also an option. All you need to do is get in touch with your local council and it will take the tree away to be 'mulched' and turned into compost in nearby parks and open spaces.

Faking it
If you do decide an artificial tree is greener than a real one, it doesn't have to look tacky (unless you want it to, of course!). Treetopia made the strapping Carlton Fir tree pictured above, and also do a line in really kitsch fake ones, including this pink beauty my grandma would love.

And if you really lean towards the shamelessly tacky, there's always the fibre optic tree option! LED technology means they use very little electricity, making them nice and green (even when as in this case, they're bright pink!)

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