Christmas is just around the corner, and with it comes the anticipation of the holiday season—including decorating the house . The Christmas tree is a central part of this. But here, too, many people are increasingly asking themselves: How do I combine tradition with the new need for sustainability? Is there even such a thing as a sustainable Christmas tree?
Sustainable Christmas tree: what bothers you about the real tree
The traditional fir tree we decorate for the holidays is a consumer product like many other things. Real Christmas trees are grown in plantations, i.e., extensive monocultures. The young trees grow among their "peers" for a few years. Once they have reached the desired size, they are cut down, put on sale, decorated—and disposed of again after a few days. Given the threat to forests worldwide, this practice seems increasingly questionable.
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Sustainable Christmas tree: the alternatives
Those who no longer want to rely on a short-lived and then "used-up" tree have other options. Perhaps the most sustainable: bouquets or arrangements made from fir branches or other conifers, which can be picked up from the forest floor without damage. Of course, this is a far cry from the traditional tree, but it's worth it for the environment and resource conservation.
Sustainable Christmas tree: simply rent
It's also possible to rent a whole tree – but with roots. It's now quite possible to rent sustainable Christmas trees. These are called "living Christmas trees." You can get a Norman fir starting at 39 francs. However, you can't keep it in your warm living room forever. A sustainable Christmas tree for rent is happy to be back outside in the cold after about seven days. You also have to water it, otherwise you won't be able to have a proud Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. In this sense, this option, with its transport and water consumption, is not climate-neutral either.
Sustainable Christmas tree: made of plastic and with design
Plastic trees are also a possible alternative. Depending on the source, however, these are only considered sustainable if they are used for a long time. Some articles claim a lifespan of up to 16 to 17 years . Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they really want to use the same plastic tree for that long. There are also artificial trees made of wood , stainless steel, or wrought iron . Whether these are suitable as sustainable Christmas trees must be assessed in each case based on the place of manufacture, transport, and material.
Sustainable Christmas tree: it remains a balancing act
Now it's up to you to consider what suits your needs, what you need your sustainable Christmas tree for, and how long. Those of us who aren't particularly fond of Christmas trees can, for the sake of nature, do without them altogether and craft a small alternative from found branches. For those who don't want to completely abandon this beloved tradition, there are a variety of alternatives, all of which have their merits and, if handled correctly, can be quite sustainable.
