Artificial or real?
A shocking study by Canadian consulting company Ellipsos, published in 2009, once and for all changed the attitude of conscious people to the issue of the New Year tree. Thus, it was found that the production of artificial fir trees consumes several times more energy resources and causes even more significant damage to animals and nature than when growing trees specially for sale! And only if the artificial decoration of the house is purchased with a reserve for use for at least 20-25 years, the damage is minimized.
In this regard, when choosing a Christmas tree, be guided by a few simple recommendations:
1. Buy sawn evergreen trees only from licensed sellers at Christmas markets – these documents ensure that the damage is replenished annually by planting young trees to replace those sold.
2. To make a real spruce stand longer, use a metal tripod stand. Now it is possible to choose a model with an additional function of adding water – so the trunk will be moistened in time and the tree will enjoy more time.
3. Dispose of wood properly after the holidays.
4. When choosing an artificial spruce, make sure that it does not emit a persistent smell of plastic and household chemicals, and that the needles do not fall out of the structure under pressure. Remember: this decoration should serve you faithfully for several decades! Therefore, be responsible for the quality of the product.
Do not forget that you can not buy a felled tree, but make it yourself from branches cut at the bottom of the trunks in the forest. Pruning does not harm growth, and the lower branches are quite voluminous, so they will look beautiful in a large house and in a small apartment.
6 ways to recycle wood sustainably after the holiday
If you have purchased a real tree for your home, do not rush to take it to the nearest trash after the holidays – most likely, utilities will dispose of it along with the rest of the waste, which will harm the environment. To date, there are 6 ways to recycle and use a Christmas decoration that has fulfilled its function:
Method 1. Take the tree to a farm or zoo.
No matter how you treat animals in captivity, for example, in a zoo, they still live there. Your withered yellow-needled spruce is a great winter food supplement for many species of artiodactyls, warm bedding, or even a toy. For example, monkeys like to build nests of needles and play with their cubs. Call the zoo or farm in advance and agree on what time you will bring the tree: most of the employees of such institutions love animals and will definitely use your gift for its intended purpose.
Method 2. Give the spruce to the sawmill.
Despite the fact that the trunk of holiday trees is usually not large, it can be used in furniture decorations or for the manufacture of special compositions for processing wood products.
Method 3. Make a mattress with a healing effect.
A thin bedding stuffed with dry needles is one of the well-known folk remedies for combating joint pain. The advantage of this method is that for this product you can also ask friends who are ready to part with it. Sew a large cover made of dense fabric and stuff it with needles to achieve a thickness of at least 5-10 cm. To get rid of joint pain, it is enough to lie on it for only a few minutes a day, after covering it with a blanket so that the needles do not prick the skin.
Method 4. Use for a stove in the country or in the bath.
If you are a happy country home owner, spruce makes a great stove fuel on cold winter evenings. It can also be used in a bath, if its design suggests it – hot steam with the aroma of a coniferous forest is provided!
Method 5. Make fertilizer for plants and trees.
To do this, the tree is crushed to chips, which can then be sprinkled on the ground around garden trees and flowers. This fertilizer is called mulch and serves to get rid of weeds and prevent soil erosion.
Method 6. Make a beautiful border for flower beds.
Even if you don’t have a dacha, perhaps every spring you plant a small garden under the windows of the multi-storey building where you live? In that case, you will like this method too. The tree trunk is sawn into uniform circles, sharp edges are rubbed and left to dry on the balcony until the first heat. Then they can decorate the flower bed by making a small fence for it.
However, the current eco-friendly trends have been proving for years that the most unexpected objects can perform the Christmas Tree function!
What to use instead of wood?
If you are open to new trends, think outside the box, and love to experiment, the following list of ideas is for you:
tinsel tree
It is not at all necessary to glue tinsel to the wall – this certainly set the teeth on edge at least for office workers. You can make a frame out of cardboard, wire and paste over it with shiny Christmas decorations.
“Book” Christmas tree
If there are a lot of books in the house, having shown imagination, they can also be used in New Year’s decor. Place the stacks in such a way that it resembles a spruce in shape, and then decorate with garlands, rain, and place small New Year’s toys on protruding specimens.
Christmas tree from stairs
A seemingly ordinary stepladder can also become a symbol of the holiday! Of course, not everyone will like this idea, but everyone who is not indifferent to contemporary art will definitely like it. Install the ladder in a prominent place, wrap it with a garland, rain, decorate with other Christmas tree decorations and enjoy!
Food tree
Cooks will appreciate: a tree can be created from fresh broccoli, carrots, zucchini, herbs and other supplies that were previously used exclusively in dishes. There is no limit to fantasy! And there is no need to think about the proper disposal of decorations – after all, you can eat it with the guests during the celebration!
· Painted Christmas tree
If the house has room for a large board on which you can draw with crayons or special felt-tip pens, this is ideal. If not, you can purchase a sheet of special graphite paper or chalk wallpaper in a hardware store. By the way, such a decorative element can be used all year round – children will be especially delighted!
Do not forget that the “models” of a modern Christmas tree are limited only by your imagination. Do not be afraid to experiment: even the wife of the President of the United States, Melania Trump, this year installed an alley of red Christmas trees in the White House. This outraged and surprised many, to which the first lady calmly replied: “Everyone has their own taste.”
Share your eco-friendly Christmas creations on our social networks – maybe your idea will inspire others!