Written by: Giulia Simolo
Buying and decorating a Christmas tree is one of the most fun, special activities related to the holidays. But this year spare a thought for the wellbeing of the earth: make your tree part of your green lifestyle.
Real or fake?
There has been much debate over which option is better: a real tree or an artificial one. But it seems that when it comes to eco-friendliness, artificial trees fare worse because they’re usually made from non-renewable plastics. However, whether you’re going the real or fake route, there are ways to make either option as green as possible.
Recycling trees
If you find yourself in the situation where you already own an artificial tree and you therefore don’t want to shop for a new one, stick with the fake route. But at least ensure that you make your fake tree last longer than a mere season. When the festive season is over, take care to pack away your fake tree in a safe place and re-use it for as many years as you can. Recycling your tree is a great way to ease the financial issue of having to buy a Christmas tree annually, but more importantly it’s a fabulous way to do your bit for the environment by preventing waste.
Buying the real thing
If you’re keener on buying a real Christmas tree, head to your local nursery and find one there that is sure to invigorate the spirit of Christmas within you. A good idea is to buy an indigenous potted tree so that you can later plant it in your garden. It will prove to be a gift that keeps on giving – not just as a pretty addition to your garden, but it will help to lower CO2 emissions. Never throw out a real tree as this is a waste of the years it took for that tree to grow.
Rent your own tree
Of course, there’s always a much easier alternative to the above suggestions that won’t cost you a penny. You could decorate an existing tree in your garden! This is an original idea that will add some flair to your garden and cut down your post-festivity clean-up, too. When the holidays are over, there’s no taking down the tree or figuring out what to do with it: the tree goes back to being a normal tree and this requires no effort from your side at all.
Light it up
Shimmering lights on a tree give it something extra special, but chances are they’re going to be left on for many hours at a time, thus wasting energy. Not only should you take care not to let them waste electricity, but change your lighting options to LED lights. These lights use semi-conducting material instead of incandescent filaments and are up to 90 percent more efficient than the traditional Christmas lights you’re accustomed to using! LED is a wise choice, especially in the wake of our country’s energy shortages.
Creative decorations
Forget buying tinsel and other decorations for your tree. There are plenty of greener, more creative ways to make your tree look fantastic, and they could be right under your nose.
Here are some décor ideas:
- Adorn the tree with beautiful, tasty biscuits that will make the house smell wonderful and give the kids a novelty, too. Of course, these treats might not last long on the tree, but they’re sure to add to a great, memorable festive season.
- The idea of recycling waste products for your tree might not sound very cheerful, but think out of the box. There are many items that can regain their lustre once they’re placed on a tree. Pretty earrings you no longer wear, old light-bulbs, bottle tops and cardboard cut-outs are just a few examples of pretty decorations that you can turn into great decorations with a bit of arts and crafts.
- Support SA! The next time you’re at a red robot, take a look at what is being sold on the pavement. Around Christmas time you will definitely find amazing trinkets and treats for decorative purposes, whether these are made of wire or beads. They’re beautifully crafted and the bonus is they’re promoting South African or at least African endeavours.
The liveeco team
