eco friendly Christmas

[bmccasland]

My first year here in the 'burbs of New Orleans, I bought a potted Norfolk Pine for my living tree. It could only take very light weight ornaments.... and I managed to use the same tree a second year, but then it wanted a new pot, so I planted it. It is now as tall as the house! Got a bit battered by the hurricanes, but didn't we all. The boughs are still down to the ground which provides perfect hiding spots for my kitties, and keeps the outside water bowl shaded.

[channlluv]

...
Whereas my lst memory of Christmas ..was a 6 ft. high silver foil Christmas tree for lst 10 yrs. of life. A Christmas tree memory better erased.

We had one of those, along with that rotating colored disk thing with the backlight that shone up on the tree turning it blue, red, green, and golden.

Ah, good times, good times.

Roxy

[OakLeaf]

A living tree is nice if you can keep it alive (very difficult) but I don't know how eco friendly it is. The difference in fuel required to excavate and haul the root ball (total weight 100-150 kg), vs. hauling a cut tree (maybe 10 kg) and extracting a stump; the thousands of gallons of (usually potable) water that have to be fed to the sapling as it gets established, vs a much smaller amount of water to farm new seedlings each year...

Just speculating here, but I'd have to think that the main route to an eco friendly holiday season is the ordinary one of reduce and reuse. That all becomes so much more difficult under the commercial pressures of the holidays of course - which is all the more reason to try.

[smilingcat]

A living tree is nice if you can keep it alive (very difficult) but I don't know how eco friendly it is. The difference in fuel required to excavate and haul the root ball (total weight 100-150 kg), vs. hauling a cut tree (maybe 10 kg) and extracting a stump; the thousands of gallons of (usually potable) water that have to be fed to the sapling as it gets established, vs a much smaller amount of water to farm new seedlings each year...

Just speculating here, but I'd have to think that the main route to an eco friendly holiday season is the ordinary one of reduce and reuse. That all becomes so much more difficult under the commercial pressures of the holidays of course - which is all the more reason to try.

Oh didn't think about LCA (life cycle analysis)... I wonder which is better??

I do miss the smell of fresh evergreen. I love the smell of earth, the plants, the trees. Maybe his is why I prefer to have a real tree in my house... (and yes my parents also had a silver christmas tree. blech!!)

With two boy dogs and the cats, anything standing up like a tree is just asking for trouble. sigh...

[five one]

For many years, we have gone to a particular tree farm in the Santa Cruz mountains and cut our own tree. If cut correctly, leaving several lower branches, the tree will regenerate in about five years. After we take the tree down, DH, who is an arborist by trade, runs the tree through a brush chipper where it becomes mulch. The company that picks up our trash has a very good recycling program. Unflocked trees left on the curb are picked up and chipped.


And speaking of pets and Christmas trees...

We have a couple rescue kitties (both adults, not kittens) that we adopted last February, so this will be our first Christmas with them. One is a 15# Maine Coon who is very curious and loves to be up high. He can jump like nobody's business and he's fearless. I have visions of him trashing the tree while we're at work. We've never had an issue with cats we've had in the past. Our house is small and there is only one spot where there's room for a tree. There is no way to close off this part of the house from the cats. Suggestions anyone?

[malkin]

One year, we decided to set up a train set near the tree. We have a collection of very small trains that borders on excessive. (Okay, it is plainly excessive, but at least they are small.) Because the trains are so small, to show them off properly we wanted to set them up running in front of the tree. Because the tree was rather small it was on a table.

Cleverly, we put a board on the table, but sticking out in front so the trains could run around in front of the tree. How wonderful!

So spectacular, in fact, that when the cat jumped up to explore the train platform it catapulted the tree over the train, and the whole mess ended up in a wet pile on the floor.

Not green;
Not recommended.

[lph]

I have visions of him trashing the tree while we're at work. We've never had an issue with cats we've had in the past. Our house is small and there is only one spot where there's room for a tree. There is no way to close off this part of the house from the cats. Suggestions anyone?

tension wire the tree. I'm not kidding! We had several large athletic cats when I was growing up, a rickety tree holder and always a large tree going right up to our high ceiling. We'd attach minimum a short wire to the closest wall, preferably wires to three directions. They looked appropriately festive with garlands on

if it's breaking ornaments you're worried about there's nothing you can do about it. Either hang non-breakable ones, or hang the breakable and most interesting ones up very high. Either way, expect to lose something... a decorated Christmas tree is heaven to any cat left alone

[five one]

tension wire the tree. I'm not kidding! We had several large athletic cats when I was growing up, a rickety tree holder and always a large tree going right up to our high ceiling. We'd attach minimum a short wire to the closest wall, preferably wires to three directions. They looked appropriately festive with garlands on

if it's breaking ornaments you're worried about there's nothing you can do about it. Either hang non-breakable ones, or hang the breakable and most interesting ones up very high. Either way, expect to lose something... a decorated Christmas tree is heaven to any cat left alone

Fortunately we have a nice heavy large tree stand. Although we do plan to wire the tree to the nearest wall, I'm not too concerned with the tree toppling. It's the 15# Maine Coon jumping/climbing into the tree and wreaking havoc. I think we may get it early, put it up, and leave it undecorated for a few days to see what happens. Breakable ornaments with sentimental value will stay in the box this year, particularly because we have hardwood floors. But most of the rest are handmade and unbreakable. I just don't look forward to having to police the living room waiting for the worst to happen. This cat just CANNOT leave things alone.

The only issue we ever had with past cats is pulling away the tree skirt to get to the water trough. I guess we had it easy then.

It should be an interesting few weeks...

[Ana]

When I was in high school, I convinced my family to purchase a live tree instead of a cut one, despite the increased cost. The first one was great: it was cute and nicely shaped. We watered it inside and planted it outside after New Year's.

The next one did not go so well. After Christmas was over, it died. I forget whether it died before or after we planted it but thereafter, we have regressed to traditional cut trees.

[katluvr]

Cat's and Christmas Trees....

I have been VERY fortunate w/ my kitties and the tree. Last year was "kittens" (aka "the girls") first year w/ a tree. They were about 8 months old. I "cringed" to see what it would bring.

I have always hung "cat friendly" ornaments on the bottom. They can swat them around and if so swat them off and play with them. Of course my tree is artifical. They also usually just like to lay on the tree skirt under the tree. (I'll miss Thesis being there this year). I also hang one ornament that is a series of bells. I call it my "cat alarm". If I hear the "tinkling" of the bells I go running. But mostly false alarms.

Now if me brand new sectional sofa would only be so safe. Currenlty still covered top to bottom w/ throws and comforters until I can determine if the kitties think it is a scratching post or something!

K

[StressFree]

Wow SmilingCat, thats a really great idea! I live in the LA area, so I'm definitely gonna have to tell my family about that. Thanks for sharing!

[Trek420]

So, enough about trees already how about all the paper/trees that go into wrapping paper when you could use this:

http://wrapsacks.com

Every season, every occaision and it's like the "Where's George" of gifts.

[ny biker]

I've wanted an aluminum tree for some time now. My uncle had one with a color-wheel light projected on to it. It would turn different colors like the horses in The Wizard of Oz.

Awesome.

[badgercat]

So, enough about trees already how about all the paper/trees that go into wrapping paper when you could use this:

http://wrapsacks.com

Every season, every occaision and it's like the "Where's George" of gifts.

I ask my parents to wrap my presents in old newspapers/magazines/etc that would otherwise be thrown away and I do the same for them. This was a tradition I started with my college roommates. My mom made a bit of a stink about it at first, as she's very into Christmas and prides herself on her wrapping abilities (which are quite lovely, btw), but a couple Christmases ago she wrapped my presents in the classifieds and stacked them neatly in 2 reusable shopping bags.

[withm]

my sisters and I pride ourselves on opening gifts carefully to preserve the paper and we re-use it for years. I still buy new when I come across a particularly nice roll of paper knowing full well it will be used again and again. We've had a lot of laughs when the really old stuff shows up under the tree.