How to choose an environmentally friendly Christmas tree and decorations

Christmas is usually seen as a celebration dedicated to consumerism. To make sure that this holiday is not trivially one more opportunity to increase the production of waste you might think of choosing eco-friendly decorations, and even in the choice of the Christmas tree, if you opt for a real one, you must respect certain criteria.

Choose a Christmas Tree

If you want to respect the environment you should choose a true fir grown following the principles of organic farming, these types of trees are cultivated for this purpose, thus avoiding the destruction of other trees. It would also be appropriate to buy the tree from a local producer in order to reduce the environmental impact of transport.

Regarding the size, we can not expect to find the perfect tree, its height must be in the media and should not be placed near sources of heat or drafts. Being a real tree it would be advisable not to spray fake snow on the branches or colored sprays, you also need to avoid burdening the branches with decorations too bulky and heavy that could break them.

This tree must be treated with care giving occasionally water. In January, then the tree will be put back into nature or, if it has dried up, it may be burned in the fireplace to make heat or can be left in the garden to decompose.

We should avoid plastic trees, made of materials derived from petroleum and which do not decompose, sometimes are colored using toxic paints for both man and the environment.

If you want to be more extravagant you can make a tree with recycled materials, these trees are sometimes so specific that are regarded as true works of art. You can simulate a tree by buying a simple fir of recycled paper to decorate with colors and colored cards, or stickers.

Some people prefer more creative touch objects such as plastic bottles or glass, or old boxes. All these elements can be assembled to form the classic shape of fir. The Christmas tree can be made of fabric by cutting out triangles to be merged together and decorate with buttons and gold thread.

Choose the decorations

Also concerning the decorations, if you want to respect the environment, the ideal would be to use natural decorations such as pine cones, shells of nuts, bread decorations that will make the tree different. But you can use everything from cans, glass bottles and cartons to give a more eco-friendly charachter to a Christmas tree that has been made in the name of recycling. It is important that the decorations hanging from the fir branches are designed so as to avoid wastage.

For a fragrant tree you can use oranges, cut into slices perpendicular to the cloves and let to dry on the stove. The obtained washers can be hung to the branches with small ribbons, alternating them with cinnamon sticks: this kind of decoration is not only biodegradable but also very fragrant and original.

What to do with the Christmas tree after the holidays?

In most cases when the Christmas holidays end, all the trees bought to decorate houses are thrown away. Alternatively, instead of purchasing you can think of taking a fir as bailment for use. Many stores offer this service which is to bring the tree to the shop where you purchased it once you have finished using it.

If the tree does not survive the holidays, this will be thrown into the garbage, but not directly in the dumpster, you must go to a specific place where there is the service of composting, where then they will carry out the disposal.

If you have a fireplace in your house or a wood stove, the now dead tree can be used as firewood. In this way you will also have a substantial savings on heating.

But there are a thousand other ways to recycle the tree, you can get the excellent fertilizer, just cover it with compost and burn it, but to do that you need to break it into smaller sections, or by hand, or by going to a specific plant crushing everything depends on the size of the tree. To get a good fertilizer from chips of wood it will take more than a year.

Recycle the tree can also mean to use only the parts to achieve original flower decorations. Pine needles instead will be great to use because of their fragrance, for a pot-pourri.