Organic Christmas Tree

🎄Christmas Tree: Real or Artificial?

We all want the safest Christmas tree. Which one is really the safest option? How do we choose the safest Christmas trees for our family?

Whichever way you decide, I recommend adding an air purifier to remove possible mold and pesticides or PVC.

Which Christmas Tree is better for the environment? Real or artificial? 

  • A.C.T.A~ The American Christmas Tree Association: representing sellers of Fake Trees claims: “The environmental impact of a fake tree is lower than that of a real one if you use it for 5+ years.:

  • N.C.T.A ~ The National Christmas Tree Association: representing the sellers of real trees claims: “A tree made out of oil, turned into PVC plastic in China, and shipped over a boat, cannot be better than growing a real tree.”

According to Medical Medium: Christmas trees are sprayed with a concoction to keep them green as long as possible. Even artificial Christmas trees are treated with nanotechnology solutions that can set someone off.

🎄Artificial Christmas Trees

PVC Artificial trees: not recommended 

Let’s start by saying that Artificial trees are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) a type of plastic. It can contain harmful additives such as LEAD neurotoxic and PHTHALATES, hormone disruptors, and both are classified as “carcinogenic to humans”. Plus they have flame retardants. They often come with a CA Prop 65 warning

According to CNN: ” “If the artificial trees are used for a longer lifespan, that balance changes,” Finton told CNN. “And I’ve read that it would take 20 years for the carbon balance to be about equivalent.”

That’s because artificial trees are typically made of polyvinyl chloride plastic or PVC. Plastic is petroleum-based and created at pollution-belching petrochemical facilities. Studies have also linked PVC plastic to cancer and other public health and environmental risks.”

 

PVC alternative Christmas trees: not recommended 

Made of polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), even though they are safer types they may still contain lead and flame retardants.

A newer alternative is made with 64% polyethylene.

  • They are made with plastic PVC

  • They contain  Lead

  • They contain flame retardants

  • They are not recyclable 

  • They end up in landfills.

  • 90% are shipped from China

  • They are carbon emitters

While the purpose of a tree is to clean the air. 10 million artificial trees are purchased each season.

🎄Real Christmas Trees 

The issues with Conventional Real Christmas Trees are the pesticides and herbicides, but they are still a more eco-friendly and safer option than artificial trees made with petroleum coming from China.

🎄Cut Tree: not the best option

When are sold cut they are a waste of resources: planting, fertilizing, and watering need to be taken into account for real trees.

According to CNN: “The real tree grows, it absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. Protecting forests and planting trees can help stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis by removing planet-warming gas from the atmosphere.

If trees are cut down or burned, they can release the carbon they’ve been storing back into the atmosphere.”

7 million real trees will be dumbed in January rather than recycled.

🎄Potted Tree: a better alternative

Even if they make you believe that cutting down a tree for the Holidays is not a big deal since these Christmas trees are not cut down from wild forests on a large scale but they are crops grown on farms like lettuce or corn, I don’t agree with this! They could sell them potted and be less polluting by not creating this use and throw-away system. A potted tree can be reused for years.

A live tree is better than a cut tree! I always felt sorry for these abandoned trees left on the street after the holidays. 

A 5-6 FT tree takes just under a decade to grow. The trees provide many benefits to the environment, cleaning the air and providing watersheds and habitats for wildlife. They grow best on rolling hills that are unsuitable for other crops.

Three are expensive right now because fewer were planted during the recession in ’08.

Another reason to buy a potted tree, they are too precious to be cut and discarded on the curbs.

 

  • ✅ PVC-free 

  • ✅ Lead-free

  • ✅ Flame retardants-free

  • ✅ CA Prop 65 warning free

  • ✅ They are Biodegradable

  • ✅ They are a carbon sink

  • ✅ They smell so good

  • ✅ They are real

  • ✅ They can be repurposed

  • ✅ 15-30 million harvested each season from the farm

🎄Real Christmas Trees Farms

Real Christmas trees are a much more sustainable choice than artificial trees. You can buy or rent it.

 

🎄Live Potted Tree ~ Good option: when you buy a live potted tree is better from a responsible, local tree farm. Ask them about their practices, and if they use pesticides. Let them know you prefer organic trees. We demand and support organic farming. A potted Christmas tree is the better choice, it is more authentic, has a real smell, it has been working to improve the environment until it reaches your door by purifying air and absorbing C02. It is life and you will have fun by taking care of it.  New York Time

Living Christmas trees:

  • Patchen California is offering sustainable potted Christmas Trees that you can reuse every year. Online

 

CANADA: ✅ Evergrow Christmas Tree

UK

 

🎄RENT a Live Potted Christmas Tree ~ Better option: this is ideal if you don’t have a garden or don’t have space to store your potted Christmas Tree after the holidays. Some farms will deliver to you and pick it up after the rental period and store it for the next year. So you can have the same tree each year. 

Certified Organic Christmas Tree Farms  

🎄Organic Christmas Tree ~ Best option for real Christmas trees. They are grown in a sustainable way without the use of unnecessary and harmful pesticides. Safer for your family and the environment. It is rare to find Certified Organic Christmas Tree

 

California:

  • Rustic Roots Certified Organic Christmas Tree farm. Address: 8430 Dillard Road, Wilton, California
  • Silvertip Tree Farm: Christmas trees are organically grown. Certified with the American Tree Farm system. They follow “The American Forest Foundation’s (AFF’s) 2010-2015 Standards of Sustainability for Forest Certification. Address: 33200 Road 221 North Fork, CA 93643
  • Crest Ranch: sustainable and environmentally friendly. Address: 12200 Empire Grade Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060
  • Santa & Sons Christmas Trees: founding member of the Coalition of Environmentally Conscious Growers, an early group of environmentally audited, green-certified Christmas tree farmers practicing careful and sustainable farming methods. Certified under the SERF environmental certification protocols.

 

USA

  • Button Wood Farm  Certified Organic Christmas Tree farm: 100% organic locally-grown Christmas tree farm near Seattle. Address: 4500 NE 116th St, Redmond, WA 98052
  • Celebration Tree Farm: Wild, native, certified organic-grown balsam Fir Trees & Wreaths for your family celebrations. MOFGA-certified organic tree. Address: 125 Bowie Hill RD Durham, ME 04222
  • Feezers Farm: they don’t use any chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or fungicides on their farm. Address: 3700 Wards Chapel Road Marriottsville, MD 21104
  • Clover Hall Organic Christmas trees. Address: 190 Cider Hill Road, Newport Virginia
  • Addison Oaks Trees Farm: organic trees. Address:
  • Abers Acre USDA Certified Organic Christmas Trees. Address:
  • Bois D’Arc Christmas Tree Farm organically grown. Address:
  • Whose Organics has organic holiday trees. Chemical, paint-free. Address: Tarm in Sauk City, WI
  • Good Time Christmas Tree Farm has organic trees. Address: 17876 Rigby RD Spartansburg, PA 16434

 

 

🎄Organic Live Potted Tree ~ Best of the Best option: the best option is a Live Potted Tree from Organic Farming, you can enjoy it year after year or plant it outside when it is too large for your outdoor decorations!

The Best Online Organic Christmas Trees

  • ✅ Silvertip Tree Farm: Christmas trees are organically grown. Certified with the American Tree Farm system. They follow “The American Forest Foundation’s (AFF’s) 2010-2015 Standards of Sustainability for Forest Certification. Address: 33200 Road 221 North Fork, CA 93643
  • Santa & Sons Christmas Trees: founding member of the Coalition of Environmentally Conscious Growers, an early group of environmentally audited, green-certified Christmas tree farmers practicing careful and sustainable farming methods. Certified under the SERF environmental certification protocols.

Christmas Tree Mold Prevention and Remover

Whichever way you decide, I recommend:

  • Approved  Air purifiers: remove possible mold, pesticides, and other contaminants or PVC.  Running a good Air purifier in the same room as the live tree generates cleaner air, especially around sensitive or allergic individuals, in order to reduce your mold exposure and lessen the effects of your tree allergies. Same if you have an artificial tree to reduce the PVC effects.

  • Approved Mold Remover: the product manages mold grown around an indoor Christmas tree. EC3 Mold Solution Spray is a natural botanical that treats indoor environments for mold and mycotoxins.  Highly effective and ready-to-use, EC3 Mold Solution Spray is safe for all materials, surfaces, and fabrics, and contains no harmful chemicals.

 

Christmas Tree Recycling 

When it is time, search for a service that will repurpose and recycle your Tree.

California Christmas Tree Recycling Service: Your tree will be taken to the recycling center. The mulch will be used for local plantings. A portion of all proceeds goes to TreePeople to plant new trees. 

 

Here you will find the best organic and sustainable products for your Christmas tree!

 

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