O, Christmas Tree ...

As an environmentalist, I've read up on Christmas tree issues and have decided to go with the live variety. There are benefits, as discussed in the clips from an article in Williamsburg Yorktown Daily by Eileen Weldon, below. In addition, a tree purchased from a local tree farm helps the local economy and allows a farmer to keep farming his land. Read more:

"Before Christmas trees were commercially grown, people cut trees indiscriminately from the woods, with little consideration for the continuance of the forest. The organization American Forests started the tradition of giving a cut Christmas tree to President Coolidge in 1924, a tradition continued each year by the National Christmas Tree Association. American Forest’s gift to the President was their way of encouraging the use of living Christmas trees as a conservation measure. It was meant to discourage the random cutting of forest evergreens. After all, Christmas trees provide benefits from the time they are planted until the time they are recycled after the holidays.

"Have you ever considered how Christmas trees are grown or what it takes to produce that perfect specimen? Depending on the variety of tree, the soils and the climate, it takes an average of seven to 12 years to harvest a seven-foot tree. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, nearly 35 million trees are harvested on 500,000 acres of land by commercial Christmas tree growers each year and two to three new seedlings are planted for each tree that is harvested. Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states.

"The seeds are started in planting beds and grown for up to three years until established. Depending on the size, they are often transplanted into a second nursery bed for another year or two before being re-planted in the production fields. An average of 1,000 to 1,500 seedlings are planted per acre of land, with half a billion trees in various stages growing on Christmas tree farms nationwide.

" ... In the United States, from seeding to harvest, the industry employs more than 100,000 people.

"There are environmental benefits to live Christmas tree production. The organization American Forests estimates that every acre of Christmas tress planted gives off enough oxygen to sustain 18 people. And that the total number of Christmas trees in production commercially in the United States should supply enough oxygen to sustain 18 million people every day. They also point out the benefit of shelter for wildlife and, of course, the benefits gained by recycling Christmas trees after the holidays. One statistic I found surprising is that in 2007 only 21 percent of US households purchased real Christmas trees - 48 percent artificial. Artificial trees offer convenience but are made from non-biodegradable plastic and can last centuries in the environment.

"So back to live Christmas trees — here’s an interesting bit of trivia. In the 1840s, a German professor introduced the people of America to the custom of decorating live Christmas trees...and where else but in Williamsburg, Virginia?"

Make a Smilebox greeting

Everyday Environmentalist: Eat More Plants

As a vegetarian, I enjoyed (okay, smugly enjoyed!) a recent Everyday Environmentalist article on the Nature Conservancy website, which appears in a slightly edited and condensed version here:

Eat More Plants By Margaret Southern

Which would you rather do: Give up your car or give up eating meat? You might be surprised that taking meat off your menu could be the greener option.

A 2006 report from The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found that the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions than all the planes, trains and automobiles on the planet. The methane emissions from cows have 21 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide. But that's not the only problem. More and more forests are being cleared for pastures to feed all these animals. And as the trees disappear, so does the earth’s natural method of storing carbon.

The problem is getting worse. According to the FAO, annual per capita meat consumption in developing countries has doubled from 31 pounds in 1980 to 62 pounds in 2002. The FAO predicts that meat production will double by 2050.

So what can you do? Start by reducing the amount of animal products in your diet. Replace the meat and cheese with healthier beans, legumes, whole grains and extra servings of fruits and vegetables.

I admit that when I first gave up meat eight years ago, the task seemed incredibly daunting. My friends and family were skeptical that it would last more than a few weeks. After all, the only vegetables I used to eat were baby carrots and iceberg lettuce, and I refused to touch tomatoes, mushrooms or beans. But after about a month, something amazing happened: I began to enjoy the healthy foods I never liked before. When I realized I was craving broccoli and apples, I knew that my diet was healthier than it had ever been before.

These days, vegetarian options are (almost!) everywhere. You can find a wide variety of resources, recipes and tips on the Internet or in your local bookstore. Greening your diet (literally) is a simple way to make a big difference in your health and the environment.