A classic environmental conundrum on par with “paper or
plastic” is “real or fake” when it comes to
Christmas trees.
Real trees from Christmas tree farms can be renewable resources that
help produce oxygen and clean air, but many of those farms spray
pesticides and fertilizers on them, and a significant amount of fossil
fuel is required to truck them in from states like Oregon and
Washington. Plastic trees are reusable, but are also made from
petroleum-based plastics and polyvinyl chloride, which commonly
contains lead, creates pollution, is linked to some health problems, is
difficult to recycle and takes years to decompose in landfills.
But I’m pretty sure I have this one figured out. For the past
few years, my husband and I have walked past countless fake plastic
trees with nary an impulse-buy twinge. We hardly toss a sideways glance
to the cut trees lined up like soldiers against supermarket walls. And
while the Boy Scouts do carry a nice selection for a decent cause, they
also charge about $50 for a tree. Even the “u-pick” farms
don’t, excuse the pun, quite cut it. While a live tree from the
nursery—the kind you decorate still potted in your living room
and later plant in your yard—is a good ecological option,
it’s also expensive and doesn’t fit in with our landscaping
plans.
So for reasons economical, environmental and just for a fun winter
outing, we pile ourselves, the dog and a handsaw into the truck and
head for the woods. Not just any ole woods. We’re allowed to cut
our own Christmas tree only in designated spots the U.S. Forest Service
is savvy enough to indicate on a map for do-it-yourself Christmas tree
fellers. Our favorite Christmas tree hunting ground is near
Frenchman’s Lake in Plumas National Forest, about an hour north
of Reno, where permits were available through Dec. 24. After a quick
swing by the Hallelujah Junction general store for our $10 permit and
map, we’re on our way into the snowy forest to find our tree.
Here’s where the environmental part comes in: We’re
cutting a tree that needs to be thinned from the forest anyway for fire
prevention. The state and federal government spend millions of dollars
each year to hire people to thin forests throughout the area. And our
tree won’t likely have been sprayed with chemicals or fertilizers
to ensure its growth.
When the last present has long been unwrapped, and the tree’s
needles are beginning to dry despite regular waterings, we disrobe it
of all ornaments and tinsel and take it to be recycled into mulch by
Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful. The group recycles trees from Dec. 26
through Jan. 18. It requests a $3 donation for the service and provides
three drop-off locations: Bartley Ranch, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road;
Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St.; and Shadow
Mountain Sports Complex, 3300 Sparks Blvd., in Sparks.
So aside from all the food we’re likely to eat, we can enjoy a
relatively guilt-free holiday.