real tree or plastic tree for Christmas

[red]

Bob Flowerdew famous organic gardener has bought an artificial tree - saying we torture real trees, I read in this article
I have always bought real tree at Christmas - as I figure that fields of purpose grown trees are good for the environment, I burn them in my wood burner after use (yes even the needly bits once they have dried out a tad, and yes they do spit even after seasoning), so how is that different to buying logs, and the footprint of a plastic tree, along with its shipping costs etc etc must be quite big. so basically, I think he is wrong.
what do you think?

[pskipper]

I agree, does this mean he's going to stop eating when you consider all the billions of carrots etc we torture every year

[Merry]

PLASTIC? He cannot be serious!
When I had a Christmas tree it was planted in a pot and put outside until the next year. It lasted several years until we got central heating then it died a horrible death from an excess of warm .
We`re not having a tree this year but my OH has brought his rotovater into the living room to do some work on the engine. He says it will take him until after Christmas so I`m going to put some tinsel and baubles on it next week.
Should look really festive

[Chickpea]

I agree. It's the same as buying logs. Even if you don't burn your own tree, there are loads of places to recycle Christmas trees. Just try to find out where your tree comes from. You want one that was purpose grown, preferably local. You don't want to buy one from a scally who has chopped down a wildlife habitat by night for a quick Christmas buck. And you don't want one that has been flown in from Scandinavia or somewhere by air freight.

[Colin and Sian]

Apparently there's a place in Sheffield where you can "hire" a real Christams tree - you have it in the house and then take it back to them in the new year and they replant it. Then the next year you can either "hire" the same tree but bigger or a different smaller one.
I can't remember the name of the place though.
I thought this sounded a really good idea.

Sian

[shiney]

I have used both real and plastic trees. I've bought another artificial after 14 years of the other one with a few real ones in between. The other one got recycled to the charity shop.

No needles with a plakky one!

It's a matter of choice really. The dilemma is with chop down a perfectly healthy tree and then dump it (or recycle it rather) or re~use one year after year?

[Chickpea]

I don't see the problem with "chop down a perfectly healthy tree". You don't worry about "digging up a perfectly healthy carrot" or "picking a perfectly healthy apple". It's a crop. You plant them, harvest them, use them, replant them. As long as people aren't chopping down trees from wild forests and not replacing them, it's just another crop.

[pskipper]

Although you do get fruititarians who claim to only eat fruit that have fallen from the tree!

[shiney]

I suppose so Chickpea! You can't eat a Christmas tree tho'.

Horses for courses.

[baldowrie]

I have an artificial tree. If I had a real tree it would be a rooted tree that could be planted out.

My problem with real trees are that most are grow especially for a few days a year taking up acres of land and resources, like water. They are chopped down when very young and thus the burning value of them is minimal for what they have taken out of the land.

Before any one jumps down my throat yes my artificial is not that environmentally friendly either, however that is now 6 years and once it's gone I shall not be replacing it.

[Shirley]

I have an artificial tree. If I had a real tree it would be a rooted tree that could be planted out.

My problem with real trees are that most are grow especially for a few days a year taking up acres of land and resources, like water. They are chopped down when very young and thus the burning value of them is minimal for what they have taken out of the land.

Before any one jumps down my throat yes my artificial is not that environmentally friendly either, however that is now 6 years and once it's gone I shall not be replacing it.

I was going to say much the same thing - no doubt they are fed lots of fertilisers etc to get them to grow quickly enough.

Stoney's idea of using the prunings is ok... and I know that a few folk round about take spindly trees from the edges of forests that wouldn't stand a chance of growing into a full blown tree.

[Shirley]

Leo Hickman on Christmas trees

[red]

well, I still go on the principal of it being a crop and little differnt to buying logs. and acres of trees are acres of CO2 offset. although I do take on board the thing about pesticides. I bought my tree locally (its in the garage at the mo..not up being tortured.. ) and I know it came from a local Christmas tree farm. I would rather land were given up to raising trees than a plastics factory.

In fact we have 4 Christmas trees - but the other 3 are mini pot grown trees, I am raising them to be my own crop in future years.

[Magpie]

My OH is an arbourist, so we have a branch he pruned as our tree... it is about 8ft tall though! Pines are either plantation grown, or weeds here, no native pines at all.

Funny thing is, they are discussing this very topic on the local radio station right now... mostly the same sort of replies from the mainstream public...

[HILLDREAMER90]

Love Bob,think he's wrong this time. I've no prob with plastic 1s if as others have said,they are re used. I cant see how they can be more enviromently freindly. I have had rooted trees & used branches. My mum used to drag out a tiny plastic tree every xmas & that has put me off them for life!! A.