Will you be using a plastic or real tree?

THE tinkle of festive bells and jingles, the warm winter spiced wine and candle aromatics, and the scattered glow of bulbs that scaffold through our towns and light up our homes and windowsills.

This all signals that Christmas is within reach and, at the heart of it, the most poignant symbol of them all is the Christmas tree.

It is the item that really kicks the season into swing for most of us, but with consumers nowadays being far more interested in the impacts of their purchases, from an environmental standpoint, what’s the smartest approach?

Here are some points of consideration.

The thought of cutting down a tree is immoral for many people, especially if it’s for a brief and purely ornamental purpose. Trees are seen as symbols of a healthy environment. Plant more trees - don’t cut down trees. A simple lens to view the world.

But here is a twist. Trees in many cases are essentially crops. The vast majority of those high coniferous plots of woodland you see scattered around the Irish countryside have been planted for economic purposes.

Many landowners grow ‘production forests’ on their land because they’re given grants per hectare. This is standard practice for the forestry sector. And after 30 years or so, they’re cut down for money and often the plot of land is reforested again.

When these plots are being reforested, often a small percentage of native trees are planted to boost biodiversity too. This is because we’re getting better with how we interact with our natural surroundings. But nonetheless, our natural surroundings are still utilised for profit and trees are an amazingly regenerative resource.

This may be a sad reality for people, depending on how you frame it, but Ireland was once covered in 80% woodlands after the post-glacial woodland recolonisation that occurred. We’re talking 10,000 years ago, well before Ireland’s earliest settlers began to cut down the native woodlands and sculpt the landscape to their needs. During the early modern period, timber harvesting spiked for production purposes and by the 17th century most woodlands across the country were cleared.

Out of all the native woodland that once covered our landscape, fewer than 2% of it survives.

Ireland is now covered with roughly 11% woodland. So, approximately for every 10 hectares of native trees, we have over 100 hectares of plantations that are mostly non-native. These plantations are mainly populated with species of spruce and fir. Some biodiversity is hosted by these woodlands, but not a great deal, however, they make a lot of sense with regards carbon sequestration.

Christmas tree farms fall into this category, too. Yes, that’s correct, there are farms that solely grow Christmas trees. They are rarely cut down from a natural setting and certainly not in Ireland as they aren’t native here. These farms are mostly mono-crop zones, populated with different species of fir, mainly the noble and Nordmann firs.

They are grown for the Christmas season, and that’s it! But for the duration of their life they sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

Having more trees hoovering CO2 from our air seems like a good idea. And of course they are fully compostable. Chop them up when you’re done, add them to your compost heap and let their nutrients cycle back to the earth to form soil for whatever endeavour you see fit. They also smell delightful - treat yourself.

Plastic trees, on the other, hand are useful too. Maybe you don’t want the hassle of getting a new tree every year, squeezing it in the back seat of the car, wobbling it through the front door, and sprinkling pine needles everywhere. Then having your cat imitate Tarzan and dragging it to the ground, only to leave it sit in the backyard watching it slowly decay and go brown over the cold months of January and February.

A plastic tree eliminates all that fuss. You can pack it up when you’re done and neatly store it in the attic until the following year. I see the appeal.

Economically, you’re making someone money either way. You’re either contributing to a local economy if you’re buying a local tree, or a distant economy if you’re buying a plastic one online.

The comparative energy consumption between the two is interesting. One requires a factory setting, plastic production, cardboard packaging, and presumably some international shipping. The other requires a farmland setting, with minimal input once planted, and sequesters carbon until harvest.

The plastic tree requires high energy for a short period, whilst the real tree requires almost no energy for a long period.

A life cycle analysis of a fake Christmas tree manufactured in China and shipped to Canada was compared to that of a real tree grown and transported locally. The study produced by Ellio showed that the fake tree required 16 times more energy than the real tree. So, if you were to use your fake tree for 20 years on the trot, then you can claim a sustainability victory. Life’s too short for such a minimal victory though.

Supporting your area and buying a tree from a local farmer seems like a good approach. Agronomists nowadays are very in tune with ecological concerns and there are some operating organic Christmas tree farms, where no pesticides or herbicides are used and sheep are left to graze the vegetation between growing trees.

You could also be very cool and grow your own trees. Axe one down in late November every year and carry it on your shoulder in front of the kids through the house like a champ. This is also an option.

Or even a potted Christmas tree that you prune like a bonsai and use every year seems like a fun idea and a possible heirloom to pass down to the next generation.

From an ethical standpoint, the act of cutting down a tree is not de facto immoral. It happens non-stop and we plant trees non-stop, also. They are an incredible ally for humanity on so many levels.

I would always caution against too much neuroticism with regards the environment, but if you really want to use a plastic tree for 20 years in a row for that minimal gain, then you’re more than welcome to. Personally, I see the benefits of supporting your local community, using our relationship with trees wisely, and the magic of a beautifully fragrant pine in your sitting room in winter.