THE CHRISTMAS TREES AND ECOLOGICAL ETHICS

Beside loving December as my month and the month of the most beautiful season of the year, feeling also sad because of thousands of trees that have been slaughtered. Just for one Festival of Lights, just for global egoism of humans. I can’t help but asking myself why we do all what we can to buy more than we need, to consume more than we have and to pretend we are better than anyone else in some digital universe.

During the old time, people have decorated place with branches to keep forever spring at home but real tradition has been started in Germany, at the beginning of 16th century. Old, good Germans are responsible for bringing forever green in houses and for making Christmas tree being attractive worldwide. I would somehow understand the need to have decorated home with green nature but bringing trees nowadays, as a hybrid , half dead and half alive , is simply more than ridiculous. Now, you can imagine that people chase trees to make glorious look for Christmas time , so can be admired and celebrated via photos or internet worshiping. It is nothing about belief and faith but everything about own narcissistic tendencies.

The fact is that those trees haven’t been harvested in forests and simply taken from nature but they have been bred on some of the local plant farms: “The Morvan, France’s oldest Christmas -tree growing region where roughly 100 local farmers sell, on average, 1 million trees a year that are grown across over 3,700 acres of farmland. Life here revolves around Christmas trees: Locals grow them, sell them, and even name their marathons and markets after them. As I drove into the region, I saw signs that indicated where to find the nearest Christmas tree farm and passed truck drivers delivering trees. “

So, we know that they have been planted for one purpose : to be used and burnt after Christmas season. That thought is disturbing for me . I read somewhere that is not an issue that we destroy so many trees, with no reason, just after one month of drinking and eating , but the devastating idea about wasting of nature and possibility to build green planet. I am not against plant farms and farmers who do this business but I would like we all turn into tradition of buying real tree and planting it after the festival. For the local farmers who live on this business, the concept would be the same but only fact is that they would sell the tree in pot that could be planted afterwards. Some trees need more years to be grow , even up to 7 years. In that time they provide life for other species and help with oxygen. My question is : why we can’t make green Christmas and even more green period after Christmas ?

The fake Christmas tree are useless product of modern and busy society. The sterile touch, the lunacy of its own kind. The proof we are like clowns in the circus of obligated fun. The real trees are the connection with our primal instinct, our ancient soul and values we can’t forget. Each time you pick up real tree that will be planted, you heal the earth, you choose to be friend of ecosystem and wildlife. You choose life above death and destruction. Even those farms help nature by growing those trees but I would just change the focus : selling the trees not cut but ready to live forever in some happy yard or woods. Why not? Not all of them would survive, indeed but some of them will and that will make significant contribution.

According to some researches, the artificial tree is causing more problems that so called hybrid tree: “A 6.5ft artificial tree has a carbon footprint equivalent to about 40kg of greenhouse gas emissions – which is more than twice that of a real tree that ends its life in landfill and more than 10 times that of a real tree which is burnt. Most local authorities now offer a collection service for real trees which they shred and use on gardens and parks – the greenest way to dispose of your real tree.”

I used to think that artificial is even better than cut real tree but only because I am always in bad mood seeing tree being cut. In my perfect world, each tree is there where it belong to be , in nature, helping us with oxygen. Even in my half perfect world, the cut tree would be better than artificial tree that is abandon our vintage bond with nature and bring us into the state of nano technology and empty emotions.

If you are not sure you can plant your tree, at least give a chance and buy it as such. After Christmas, you will have enough time to check possibilities with friends or within community to see whether is option or place to be planted. There is always one free place for your green, little fellow. Even, there are organizations who take care of your trees and plant them somewhere , for you. If you have kids, that would be a great step to show them how their little action has long lasting environmental effects worldwide.

Being animal and nature lover myself, I maybe see some things too optimistic, with pink glasses or magical lights but my heart is beating for earth and I feel always connected with our planet, even trough the small and simple movements and decisions. The world could be a beautiful place, if we all work together for it.