Tree farmers furious over Canadian Tire's artificial Christmas tree ad

Discussion in 'Plants: In the News' started by Junglekeeper, Dec 5, 2019.

  1. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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  2. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    Until last year, I (Mrs. Christmas) would never have believed I'd ever buy an artificial Christmas tree. For 50 years, my family either cut trees on our own property or gone out and cut our own at a U-cut or bought them from local growers. Now, however, the quality of live trees in our area has become very disappointing to say the least and, as we age, the convenience of an artifical tree appeals to us.

    In any case it seems that, this year, live trees may generally be hard to find.
    Get your trees early: North American Christmas tree shortage felt in B.C.

    It's hard to weight the environmental impacts. Of course it's true that 'fake' trees are made with oil-based products which cannot be composted or recycled but they can potentially last decades. Live trees have their own costs vis a vis water requirements, transportation to retailers, etc. I spoke to a man recently who tried growing Christmas trees on an acreage not far from where I live who had to give it up because he could not provide the amount of water they needed.

    Like so many decisions in our lives these days, this has taken on moral implications for which no chatechism can tell us which is right or wrong.
     
  3. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    Last edited: Dec 6, 2019
  4. Sulev

    Sulev Contributor

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    Does anyone know any person, who has been using the same artificial Christmas tree for decades?
    These are trend goods, may look nicer than natural trees for some eyes, but old models become out of fashion very soon. So landfills are filling up with those old plastic "trees" and it takes millions of years to decompose them completely.
    It is crazy idea to prefer plastic tree because somebody tried to grow Christmas trees in his (too arid) property, and failed. And if your own property run out of nice trees, then who to blame for?
     
  5. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    I must say, Sulev, that your response is rather insulting.

    First of all - yes, I do know of more than one person who has been using the same artificial Christmas tree for decades. So what?!

    I agree that landfills are a problem but old plastic trees are a miniscule fraction of all that is in them. If you are honest, you have to admit there are negatives to cutting live trees as well. Perhaps we should ban all trees!

    Sorry, but it is not a 'crazy idea' to choose a 'plastic' tree. For many like me at this stage in my life, it is more a practicality than a necessity.

    There are many good reasons to choose an artifical tree besides the fact that someone failed to grow live trees on a too-arid property. Twenty years ago, my acquaintance probably could have made a go of it. Ever heard of 'climate change'? And, by the way, I no longer live on the property where we used to harvest Douglas fir trees. So, you tell me who you think is to blame?

    You can reply to this if you like but I have nothing to apologise for and definitely nothing further to say to you.
     
  6. Sulev

    Sulev Contributor

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    Plastic trees are definitely giving their fair share to the climate change.
    But natural trees are more or less climate neutral.
     
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  7. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    I think it’s fair to say eco friendly if grown w naturally applied water (rain) and no machine mowing and shearing ... and ultimately sold and used close To home

    I have a couple of fake trees fr the thrift store! I just showered them off to tidy the dust - let them dry and they look great! (They are smaller height)

    When kids were little we’d go to a nearby farm and run around and debate the merits of each chosen « victim » and haul it home and curse the needles etc

    It was fun !

    Now I like convenience

    Tho I miss the nice scent

    Thé other day a neighbor was on the big ferry fr Vancouver and a guy was asking « is this the ferry to Powell River? »

    Well - no (either way it takes two BC ferries to get to Powell River - as Margot will know - even tho Powell River is NOT on an island BTW

    Turns out this confused trucker had driven all the way fr NOVA SCOTIA w a load of trees - yes, for good ol’ Walmart

    Poor trees - grew all their life to end up in a discount US based box store in Powell River (My editorial thought obviously)
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2019
  8. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    Margot - this was on CBC a few weeks ago and also cites the water issues we have experienced all over BC it seems due to long dry summer and shoulder seasons ... not to mention the fact that great farmland is also now suburbia in BC

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/christmas-tree-farm-assessment-1.5285935
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 9, 2019
  9. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    A couple of days ago the University of British Columbia has joined communities and organizations around the world in declaring a climate emergency. UBC declares climate emergency and moves forward on two key divestment initiatives
    I wonder if ever seriousness of the current situation will get through to certain people.
    How about giving up all together this started by Queen Victoria tradition? If we will not be willing to give up anything now may be we will have to give up much much more in not too far away future.
     
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  10. Michigander

    Michigander Active Member

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    It's a shame that mankind wasn't around before the last ice age. Imagine what the North American continent would look like if the great sheets of ice hadn't gouged new shapes?
     
  11. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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  12. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    Not sure what you're getting at vis a vis Christmas trees . . . you must be aware that humans appeared well before the end of the last ice age.
     
  13. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    Here are a few alternatives for those who either don't want or can't find a live Christmas tree:
    35 DIY Christmas Trees made from Recycled Materials
    The carbon footprint of commercial Christmas tree farming, harvesting, distribution and disposal is astronomical. According to data from the Nielsen Research Foundation, approximately 21.6 million real trees and 12.9 million artificial trees will be purchased by U.S. households this Christmas. A study by the American Christmas Tree Association found that consumers would have to keep an artificial Christmas tree for 10 years in order to offset the carbon footprint of natural trees they would have bought during this period. Now you can make your DIY recycled Christmas tree out of stuff you already have.
    Our Trees
    Welcome to our online store for customers in the United States and Canada! As one of the world's oldest Christmas tree manufacturers, Oncor has been manufacturing unlit artificial Christmas trees since 1980. We offer eco-friendly Christmas trees made from recycled PVC plastic with industry-leading product lives of 30 or more years.
     
  14. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    How about devoting some time to contemplation what Christmas should be really about instead of busying oneself with all those decorations, shopping, etc?
     
  15. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    OK, but that's off topic for this thread. :) Also for these forums.
     
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