Environmental Debate
The facts below illustrates that real Christmas tree are the best environmental choice. Support the Environment with fresh cut green Christmas tree.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
NATURAL TREES;
United States & Canada.
ARTIFICIAL TREES;
85% From China.
METHOD OF PRODUCTION
NATURAL;
Farming.
Planting takes place Jan-May.
Estimated 40-45 million trees planted in 2008 in North America.
Estimated 446 Million trees growing on farms in U.S. and Canada.
Tree farms support complex eco-systems.
ARTIFICIAL;
Factory.
Raw materials sent to factory & assembled into final product.
Product is shipped to U.S. & Canada, then distributed to stores.
Number of factories unknown.
Factories only consume natural resources.
COMPONENTS
NATURAL;
Plant tissue.
100% Biodegradable.
ARTIFICIAL;
Plastics & Metals
Non-biodegradable.
PVC FREE ?
NATURAL;
Yes.
ARTIFICIAL;
No.
LEAD FREE ?
NATURAL;
Yes.
ARTIFICIAL;
No, lead is used in the process of making PVC plastic.
CARBON NEUTRAL ?
NATURAL;
Yes, trees absorb carbon dioxide.
When decomposing, carbon, nitrogen and other elements are released into soil.
ARTIFICIAL;
No, plastic is a petroleum by product.
CHEMICALS ?
NATURAL;
No, Scientist have measured cut Christmas trees for chemical residue and not found any significant amounts.
Many different bugs, fungi and parasites can attack and kill trees, so farmers may use pesticides to keep consumer's trees healthy and alive until harvest.
Most pesticides are ground applied.
Herbicides are used to suppress, not kill off, weeds to prevent soil erosion.
If someone tells you "There are chemicals on cut Christmas trees", they are wrong.
ARTIFICIAL;
Yes, PVC itself is a dangerous chemical.
Manufacture of PVC creates and disperses dioxins, the most toxic man-made chemical known released into air or water. Dioxin enter the food chain, where they accumulate in fatty tissues of animals and humans, a potential risk for causing cancer, damaging immune functions and impairing children's development.
DISPOSAL
NATURAL;
Recycled.
Used trees can be recycled in a variety of ways.
Decomposing trees add nutrients back into the earth.
ARTIFICIAL;
Landfill.
Fake trees can't be recycled and end up in landfills.
All of the accumulated fake trees are a burden to the environment indefinitely.
RENEWABLE RESOURCE ?
NATURAL;
Yes, new trees are planted every year.
ARTIFICIAL;
No, petroleum used to make plastic is a non-renewable resource, as are metals.
ECO-FRIENDLY
NATURAL;
Yes.
ARTIFICIAL;
No.
Still not convinced?
Click here to read what David Suzuki have to say about this environmental debate
