Christmas Refuse Fir
DCL
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, approximately 30-35 million "real" Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. every year and roughly 100,000 people are employed in the Christmas tree industry. Ninety-eight percent of all American Christmas trees are grown on the more than 21,000 Christmas tree farms. It takes about 7-10 years for a Christmas tree to mature, and for every harvested tree, 2-3 seedlings are planted.
Think of it like factory farming for firs.
Another durable American tradition will eventually mark the unofficial end to all holiday spirit. I'm speaking, of course, about the sight of discarded trees lying near the garbage cans on the sidewalk. Just a few weeks earlier, those trees were leaning almost upright with price tags dangling from their shiny branches. Now they lie horizontal, a few tenacious strands of tinsel clinging to the razor-sharp needles. Since we're taught to perceive Christmas trees as disposable; they ultimately become someone else's problem.
Sure, we've evolved to the practice of widespread recycling of post-holiday trees but that doesn't change the root of this situation: Some 450,000 acres of land are set aside to plant and grow trees destined to be cut down and sold for about ten days' use before being unceremoniously tossed out onto the pavement and we're supposed to applaud the time and money used to deal with the subsequent epidemic of dead trees.
Greener solution: This Christmas, say no to fir.
