Not My Monkey

Buying and decorating a Christmas tree is a tradition for many families, it’s a great way to start the festive season. In fact, over 7 million Christmas trees are sold annually in the UK, each of which takes at least 6 years to grow to the desired height (6-7 feet). However, what do we do with them once the festivities are over? Well, most of us throw it away and purchase another one the next year but there are actually more cost-effective ways to keep the tree and use it year after year!

Of course, you may have an artificial tree, like my family. I’ve advocated for a real one many times but unfortunately, many of my family members are allergic to the compounds that give Christmas trees their divine smell! So we have an artificial one, which we’ve had for 20 years and it shows no signs of giving up, the same can’t quite be said for the box! However, artificial trees are often made of plastic, which as we know, is the bain of environmentalists’ existence. So, it is actually more sustainable to buy a real Christmas tree… just not every year. Here are some ways to make your Christmas tree part of the family or at least part of a circular economy.

Replant

If your Christmas tree has roots, plant it in your garden to keep it alive over the rest of the year and then simply dig it up and repeat the process each year. Or if it came in a pot, simply keep it in the pot and put it outside. If you haven’t bought your tree yet, look out for farmers selling them with the roots to help reduce demand. These farmers often also engage in sustainable tree farming, such as wildlife protection and crop rotation.

Recycle

If you don’t buy a tree with its roots, that’s OK, it is still more sustaianble than an artificial one as when trees grow they act as carbon sinks, taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and replacing it with oxygen. However, make sure to dispose of it properly, there are a few ways to do this. The best way is to donate it to a restoration project which will compost it and use it as a natural fertiliser or animal feed. However, if this is not an accessible option to you, many local councils take away Christmas trees to be recycled appropriately but make sure to remove all decorations first.

Make a Home

Now I don’t mean purchasing a hundred trees to make a tree house, but the trunk of the tree makes a great home for insects and supports soil health. Additionally, the needles can be used for mulch in your garden, much like how the farmers use it as fertiliser.

Getting Rid of an Artificial Tree

If you want to get rid of your artificial tree to be able to make room for a real one, please donate it to a charity that is willing to take it, don’t let it go to landfill as it cannot be recycled due to the mixed materials within. This also makes having a Christmas tree more accessible to someone who may not be able to afford a new one.

I have many ways in which we can make the festive period sustainable, from how to reuse Christmas cards to a vegan-friendly Christmas dinner, feel free to comment on anything you want to hear more about!