Sustainable Christmas tree - Alternatives for a sustainable Christmas

What would Christmas be without a festively decorated Christmas tree , under which lovingly selected gifts are placed, and where wonderful times can be spent with family? Unfortunately, there's a dark side to the tree's sustainability. It starts with production: Many fir trees are grown on plantations and treated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides . According to the environmental organization Robin Wood, only around 15% of Christmas trees actually come from forestry operations. Considering that around 28 million fir trees are sold for Christmas each year, the problem is not insignificant.

To change that, we want to present you with a few ideas for your sustainable Christmas tree just in time for the Christmas season.

Fortunately, the selection of alternatives to Christmas trees is growing, and you're sure to find the perfect tree for you!

A Christmas tree is considered organic if it was not cultivated on a plantation, but rather grew in a natural mixed forest . In addition to avoiding the use of chemical growth aids, this also helps preserve an important habitat for many animal species and combats species extinction. Seals that confirm the sustainable cultivation of your Christmas tree include Bioland, Naturland, and Demeter. Also, make sure that the tree, ideally, comes from the region or the immediate surrounding area. This further reduces unnecessary emissions from transport! You can find a list of sales outlets for organic Christmas trees here via Robin Wood.

Another thing you might want to consider regarding transportation, in addition to buying an organic Christmas tree, is how the tree will get from the retailer to your home. Ideally, you can grab a friend and simply carry the tree home on foot or transport it by cargo bike. Another alternative is transport by bus or train. Avoid peak travel times, however, to avoid inconveniencing other passengers.

Organic Christmas trees are a first step in the right direction. You can also make sure your fir tree has been transported as quickly as possible. The Nordmann fir, incidentally the most popular fir tree in Germany at Christmas, doesn't actually grow in Germany, but usually comes from abroad, such as Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Austria, or the Czech Republic. So this year, simply opt for a spruce, pine, or a conventional fir. At the same time, you'll be supporting local forestry companies .

With this alternative, ideally, there's no waste at all! So how about a slightly smaller Christmas tree grown in a pot? These require special care, however, and there are a few important things to keep in mind:

• Don't bring the tree directly from outside into your living room, but give it some time to acclimate to the warm temperatures . It's best to place it in the hallway for a few days to ease the transition.
• Try to find a slightly cooler spot for your Christmas tree in your home. Avoid placing it directly next to the heater and perhaps place it closer to the window or door.
• You should water the tree about every two days.
• Depending on the growth, you may also want to consider repotting the tree into a larger pot.

If you do everything right, you can enjoy your Christmas tree for years to come, or even transplant it into your garden after Christmas. Nordmann firs, Serbian spruces, blue spruces, or sugarloaf spruces are particularly suitable for this.

There are now several companies where you can borrow or rent a Christmas tree. These trees are also delivered in pots and, in this case, also need to be gradually acclimated to the warmer climate. Often, delivery and pickup of the tree is even included in the service. Another perfect option if you don't have a car!

However, you should keep in mind that trees are at risk of dying in your home or being damaged by the cold if left out in the forest. Therefore, it's best to inquire about the services of a local tree nursery or forestry office to gain the necessary knowledge and ensure that the Christmas tree is properly replanted after use. You can find local providers offering Christmas tree rentals through Baumeria .

In addition to organic Christmas trees, potted Christmas trees, and tree rentals, there are numerous other ways to get a sustainable Christmas tree. Spoiler alert: A Christmas tree doesn't always have to be a fir tree! 😉

One option would be to simply make your own "tree," because what exactly defines what a Christmas tree actually is?! So you can get creative here! One idea would be to hang logs or branches from the ceiling on a string and decorate them with Christmas decorations.

Another option is the "Christmas trees" from Keinachtsbaum . Through the online shop, you can purchase a wooden frame and decorate it with fir branches. This, of course, has the advantage that the branches can grow back again and again, eliminating the need to cut down trees specifically for Christmas.

And you can even make wonderful Christmas trees out of cardboard, paper, papier-mâché, or fabric! It sounds crazy at first, but it can look absolutely wonderful, as this video proves.

Maybe you don't necessarily need to buy or craft something new. Just take a look around your home! You're sure to find a little plant that, with some Christmas decorations and a few lights, would make a wonderful Christmas tree! A palm tree like this will also add a little holiday feeling to the festive season!

A plastic Christmas tree that can be reused is theoretically a good idea in terms of sustainability. And the problems of cultivation and pesticides are also solved with plastic Christmas trees.

But now comes the big BUT : Plastic Christmas trees are often produced in Asia under miserable conditions and then transported halfway around the world to Europe. In addition, numerous emissions are released during production. According to a study, this is around 48kg of _CO2 per plastic fir tree! In comparison, a conventional fir tree only releases 3kg of _CO2 , most of which is caused by transport. In order for the plastic Christmas tree to compensate for this, it would have to be used for at least 16 to 17 years. According to the manufacturer, however, the lifespan is a maximum of 10 years. In addition, plastic Christmas trees are made of plastics such as PVC or PE, i.e. fossil raw materials , the resources of which we are already depleting sufficiently. And one last point to mention is that disposing of the plastic tree is a lot more difficult than with fir trees, which decompose naturally and harmlessly after just a few years.

There are now numerous sustainable alternatives for Christmas tree decorations:

• You can easily make great tree decorations yourself. We've explained how in this blog post .
• Wooden decorations are also more sustainable than plastic tree ornaments. Many regional manufacturers sell beautiful wooden stars, figurines, and even baubles. Just be sure to consider where the wood comes from.
• On your next walk, simply go in search of Christmas tree decorations! Pine cones, chestnuts , and nuts look wonderful on the Christmas tree and can be found almost everywhere in nature.
• Another great idea: dried orange slices as Christmas tree decorations. To do this, place the orange slices in an oven at 80 degrees Celsius for about four hours, then carefully pierce a small hole in the slice and thread a string through it. Your beautiful and sustainable tree decoration is ready!
• Paper stars are so simple yet so beautiful. Glue them to cardboard for extra stability. Painting and decorating the stars is also a wonderful family activity!
• While not exactly decoration, what's under the tree still belongs to the overall picture. Therefore, when choosing your Christmas gifts, try to focus on meaningful and sustainable gifts .

When lighting your Christmas tree, you can also opt for more environmentally friendly LED lights and turn them off whenever they are not needed.

However, if you don't want to give up a traditional Christmas tree, there are a few things you can keep in mind for environmentally friendly and proper disposal. For example, make sure you've completely removed all of the decorations from the tree and avoid using artificial snow or decorative spray . These contain environmentally harmful substances and make it impossible to dispose of the tree as organic waste. Also, never simply throw the tree into the forest! It will take too long to fully dismantle there, and it's also a violation. Instead, find out about your local council's collection schedule and place the tree by the curb or at the designated collection point in good time.

There are many reasons why you should choose a sustainable Christmas tree, and if you're not convinced yet, you certainly will be after these facts!

A classic Nordmann fir takes about eight to ten years to reach its perfect size, only to then be cut down and decorate our living room for a few weeks. That should be reason enough against a conventional Christmas tree, but of course there's more!

Especially with increasing global warming , every single tree is more important than ever! It makes even less sense to cut down entire forests for a few weeks a year, only to throw the tree onto the street at the end.

Trees grown on plantations consume extremely high amounts of water and are also treated with harmful fertilizers and pesticides. To protect animals, soil, and your own health, a sustainable Christmas tree is recommended.

Of course, it's always difficult to let go of a beloved tradition , and such changes usually don't happen overnight. However, if you absolutely cannot do without the traditional Christmas tree, you could at least plant a tree as compensation! This is possible, for example, through the Bergwaldprojekt (Mountain Forest Project ). In any case, we're sure you'll find the right way to celebrate the Christmas season and, for the sake of our beautiful environment, switch to a sustainable alternative here and there.