Christmas around the tree 🎄

A cozy Christmas tree with lights and decorations may be good for the ambiance, but is it also good for the environment? First of all, there is of course a difference between the "real" Christmas tree and the artificial tree. Both have their pros and cons, says Dr. Pita Verweij, associate professor at the Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development. The environmental impacts of a real and a plastic tree are very different and therefore difficult to compare. A lot of aspects come into play, such as how a tree was grown or how the plastic for an artificial tree was produced.

Fire retardants

With artificial trees, the material from which the trees are made is especially important, says Verweij. I prefer to stick with a real tree because I'm not a big fan of plastic. In addition, artificial trees often contain flame retardants. These are very harmful substances to the environment. If you throw the tree away, it will eventually be burned, releasing those substances. The fire retardants contain halogen compounds that are toxic. Now real trees are also often burned in the Netherlands and Belgium, although this has been increasingly under discussion in recent years. Verweij believes that the environmental impact of burning biomass, such as Christmas trees, is somewhat more limited because combustion releases CO2 which is then stored again by new trees.

Tree with a root ball

The climate impact of artificial trees versus real trees naturally also has to do with how long you use them. If you use the artificial tree for longer than ten years, the impact is fairly favorable, according to Verweij. With real trees, it's a different story. The climate impact of a real tree is equal to driving about 25 kilometers, but that's assuming that it only lasts a year. If you buy a tree with a root ball, you can plant it in the garden. Give the tree plenty of water, even in the pot. Then it will last longer and be less susceptible to fire.

Adoption

In addition, you can adopt a tree at a number of garden centers and tree growers. They will then come and collect it after Christmas and you will get the same one the following year. Verweij recommends not driving too many kilometers to pick up the tree, to keep the climate impact as low as possible. It's also wise to look for an organic tree with a hallmark (such as Planetproof) when it comes to the use of pesticides during cultivation. What you hang on the tree is also important. Buying new decorations every year is fashionable, but not very climate-friendly. Also, pay attention to the lighting and preferably use LED lights.

 Original source: The December Calendar 2021 of Utrecht University (Intranet)