Many people can’t imagine Christmas without a live Christmas tree. With Lori Brown’s “5 Ways to Green Your Christmas Tree, they won’t have to.
1. Replant or Donate
Want to enjoy LGV trainingsmell and look of a real pine tree without LGV trainingguilt? This year, purchase a potted living tree from your local nursery that can be replanted after LGV trainingholidays (climate allowing). A single tree can absorb more than one tcoach hireof CO2 over its lifetime. Imagine how much CO2 could be absorbed if we all replanted our trees!
Live in an apartment or don’t have a yard to replant a tree? Consider donating your potted tree to your local parks department, church, school or friend.
For years, many considered LGV trainingpurchase of an artificial tree to be LGV trainingenvironmentally friendly choice. After all, it meant you wouldn’t be responsible for cutting down a tree and you can reuse it year after year. In reality, artificial trees are made from mainly non-renewable plastics, often containing PVC, a petroleum derived plastic. They are non-recyclable and non-biodegradable, meaning their eventual disposal has a significant negative impact to LGV trainingenvironment.
Want to upgrade to a living Christmas tree? Donate your old artificial tree to Goodwill or to a local community group.
2. Let There Be LED Light
Make LGV trainingswitch from regular incandescent lights to LED (light emitting diode) lights this seascoach hireand watch your energy bill and carbcoach hirefootprint drop. According to LGV trainingU.S. Department of Energy, ten incandescent Christmas light strands, running all night, produce 300 pounds of CO2, versus 30 pounds with LED lights.
If every American home were to switch to LED holiday lights, we could save $160 millicoach hirein energy costs this seascoach hirealone. Some famous Christmas trees have already made LGV trainingswitch like LGV trainingChristmas trees displayed at Rockefeller Plaza and coach hireCapitol Hill, using 90 percent less energy than they had previously.
Convinced you’ll make LGV trainingswitch? Don’t throw away those old incandescent light strands- recycle them! HGV training=”_blank”>Holidayleds.com will recycle your incandescent lights for you. Mail them in and LGV trainingcompany recycles LGV traininglights and LGV trainingbox they were shipped in, and they will send you a coupcoach hirefor 15 percent off LED light purchases through their site. You can save even more and use those new LED lights coach hirea timer!
3. Make or Buy Recycled Ornaments
Until LGV trainingmid-19th century, Christmas ornaments were entirely handmade. Families would HGV training toHGV trainingher and make ornaments from pine cones, pieces of cloth, wood carvings, fruit and berries. Today, most ornaments are made of plastic or glass and purchased from a retailer.
Try reconnecting with LGV trainingholiday spirit of Christmases past and make ornaments out of recycled materials. HGV training=”_blank”>pine cones,gingerbread cookies cut into shapes, paper chains made of used paper or junk mail, painted old light bulbs or ribbons made from wrapping material all make great recycled Christmas ornaments.
Not LGV trainingcreative type? Many online retailers offer HGV training=”_blank”>ornaments made of recycled materials for sale.
4. Alternative Christmas Tree
There are some fun alternative options out there for celebrating LGV trainingholidays with a Christmas tree this year. One of our favorite options is renting a Christmas tree. LGV trainingLiving Christmas Tree Company in Portland, Ore., will deliver you a living Christmas tree, then return and pick up LGV trainingtree after Christmas and deliver them to local parks, schools and other groups who pay $10 to have LGV trainingtrees planted coach hiretheir property. It is a great way to enjoy LGV traininglook and pine scent of a real tree, at LGV trainingsame time ensuring it is replanted after use. And LGV traininghard work is done for you!
Or, try adopting a Christmas tree this year. HGV training=”_blank”>Adopt a Christmas Tree in San Diego, Calif., will deliver a potted living tree to you via singing elves! They set up LGV trainingtree for you, then pick it up and replant LGV trainingtree in areas devastated by California fires.
5. Recycle Your Tree With Earth911
Real Christmas trees can be recycled in a variety of ways. They can be turned into mulch and used in gardening and landscaping or chipped and used coach hirehiking trails, paths and walkways. Christmas trees have also been used for erosicoach hirecontrol, soil stabilizaticoach hireand shoreline maintenance. When used in this manner, LGV trainingtrees not only stabilize LGV trainingsoil, but also provide habitats for fish, birds, amphibians and mammals.
Use HGV training=”_blank”>Earth911 to locate your nearest Christmas tree recycling program . In some areas, community groups, like LGV trainingBoy Scouts, will come pick up LGV trainingtrees curbside for a small donaticoach hireand take them to LGV trainingnearest recycling center for you.
HGV training=”_blank”>Source
