Certainly by now, those of you who are going to get a live Christmas tree have already done so. I know that some of you will wait until the very last minute but most trees are up and twinkling with lights. This means that you have already wrestled the tree inside and into the tree stand, wrapped the strands of lights, hung the ornaments, and hopefully, have not had the tree collapse to the floor.
Of course, if you are experienced or had proper training, you know to apply equal amounts of pressure to the trunk of the tree with the tree stand prongs. Some had to learn this the hard way. Nevertheless, the Christmas trees in Raleigh and the surrounding areas are certainly beautifully decorated this year and we hope that you can get out and see the display.
Yet, you may be wondering what to do with your tree after the Holiday. You may even be thinking that an artificial tree would be a better choice. And for some, it is. However, a real tree is the sustainable choice. That’s right! Live Christmas trees are a good choice for the environment. How’s that? They contribute to the health of the environment by absorbing carbon dioxide and reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They also return oxygen to the environment, and of course, we need oxygen to survive.
Christmas tree farms also provide habitat for wildlife as well as help with soil retention that prevents erosion. And these days, farmers plant seedlings to replace the trees that are cut making them a renewable crop. No forests are cut. Christmas tree farmers are making sure of that. North Carolina ranks second in Christmas tree farm production in the United States. That means your purchase of a live tree not only contributes to the health of the environment, but also supports local jobs and our local economies.
But wait, there’s more! There is life for a Christmas tree even after the Holidays are over. Christmas trees do not have to end up in the landfill. Many communities have recycling programs that give these trees a purpose long after they have given so much beauty and joy during Christmas. Recycled trees can be shredded and used for mulch and some are even used along the coast to help stabilize the sand dunes by offering protection from wind and water erosion.
Just don’t take your tree and dump it on the beach somewhere! There is a proper method to using the trees in this manner and it requires them to be staked down properly. If you would like to recycle your tree this way, you should first check with a local beach community to see if they have a need for trees. Information on Wake county’s Christmas tree recycling program can be found at this link http://www.wakegov.com/recycling/division/Pages/happytrails.aspx
So if you have a live Christmas tree, you can rest assured that you made a good decision. A decision to support the environment as well as North Carolina farmers and local economies. We hope that you are enjoying the season.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All from the team at DesignScapes of North Carolina!
