OK, this week I’ll get some ranting out of the way so we can concentrate on positive things the closer we get to Christmas Tree season.

The rant subject is the “debate” over whether a fake tree is a better eco-choice than a real tree. Quite frankly, it befuddles me that there is still a “debate” at all and that there are consumers out there who still think a manufactured product is better for the environment than a natural product. But, alas, there is.

Part of the problem is the misleading, and sometimes outright false, information put out there. Here’s an example: This Sears ad for a fake, plastic tree describes it as a “Just Cut Balsam.” What?!?! It’s not a Balsam, and it wasn’t just cut. It was manufactured in a factory somewhere, most likely China, then shipped here. You can post a comment to Sears about this silly, deceptive product description here.

Here’s another example: in the November/December issue of Mother Jones magazine, there’s a chart comparing real trees and fake trees. The author is Celia Perry. Under the real tree column, in a category called “Dirty Business” it says “produce oxygen, but require tons of pesticides and herbicides.” Now that second part is a totally false statement. They do indeed produce oxygen, as all plants do, but do NOT require tons of pesticides. No source is cited, and phone calls to Ms. Perry went unreturned. Mother Jones’ tagline says “Smart, Fearless Journalism”....really? Is that why writers just make stuff up?

I was talking with a reporter last week who said a retro aluminum tree had these words on it’s packaging: “Better for the environment because no tree has to be cut down.” Of course, it comes in a cardboard box....the hypocrisy is astounding.

2007 Season
10/23/07 - New for 2007 & Beyond

2006 Season
12/19/06 - Smells, Types and CBS Morning Show
12/15/06 - T4T Thank You; Questions!
12/12/06 - Smells, Sprays, Trimming
12/08/06 - Trees 4 Troops Update
12/06/06 - Watering; Cutting the Top
12/02/06 - Trees 4 Troops Update
12/01/06 - Trees 4 Troops Underway
11/25/06 - Split Tree Trunk
11/22/06 - A Living Tree
11/18/06 - No Fakes; Big Tree Stands
11/10/06 - Back to a Real Tree
11/07/06 - Narrow Trees for Condos
10/31/06 - Some Stories...
10/19/06 - The "Holiday Tree"?
10/06/06 - A Year's Worth of Work

2005 Season

3/18/06 - Spring Work; Starting a Farm
12/30 - Christmas Tree Fires #%?!
12/23 - Christmas Funnies
12/21 - Bird Flu Vaccine
12/18 - Contest Entry
12/16 - Cats, Shearing & Helicopters
12/15 - Don't Be A Fake
12/14 - Water Level; Politics
12/13 - Smelly Tree; Mail Order
12/12 - Interesting Questions
12/09 - Watering; Longevity
12/06 - Allergies
12/03 - Trees for Troops
12/01 - Hot Water for Trees?
11/30 - Colorants
11/29 - More Pets; Trees for Troops
11/28 - Pets & Trees
11/27 - Flocking
11/26 - First Blog Entry
  When to Buy a Real Tree
  Real Tree Care
  White House Tree; Grand Champions

Here’s the best example, an article from the Hays Daily News in Hays, Kansas. http://www.hdnews.net/Story/b0623_BC_SPE_Holidays_GreenTr_11_06_0899 . In it, a fake tree seller is touting the lower fuel consumption required to transport fake trees from Asia if you calculate that over 15 years of using the same tree. Uh, really? That doesn’t take into account the fuel required to ship raw materials such as plastic and metal to the factory in the first place. Nor does it take into account the energy consumed by the factory itself. Nor does it take into account the fuel consumed to distribute the product from shipping ports to retail outlets throughout the U.S. Recently a Christmas Tree farmer calculated fuel use to grow his trees. This is a farm in the deep south, where mowing is probably required more than other places. He uses 600 gallons of fuel per year (both diesel and gasoline) to grow 14,000 trees. That equates to 5.5 ounces of fuel per tree per year. How many ounces of petroleum is used to make the plastic needles on one fake tree?

Plastic is a product we all use, but many believe will need to be replaced soon. A recent article in Spirit Magazine said the U.S. uses 2 million barrels of oil every day to make plastic. That represents about 10 percent of the nation’s total oil consumption. I found that interesting.

Well, to combat some of the misleading, and sometimes outright false, information that consumers are exposed to, we put together a simple comparison chart. You can see it on the front page or click this link. I’m confident that sooner, rather than later, consumers will know the truth and know that the eco-friendly choice in Christmas Trees is a renewable, recyclable Real Tree grown on a farm.

Keep the questions coming...next week we’ll start posting consumer emails and answers. If there’s a topic you’d like addressed,write to us.