Christmas Trees: Fake or Real?

Yes, the holiday season is arriving, and pretty soon people that celebrate Christmas are going to go out and get their trees, whether they be chopped from the ground or in a store. Time Magazine's latest issue has an article about which type of tree is better for the environment, and here is a summary.

Artificial Trees:

1. Cause lower carbon emissions compared to buying a real tree 10 years in a row (because of gasoline used to get a cut tree home).
2. However, these emissions basically cancel out because most artificial trees are shipped in from China.
3. Not biodegradable.
4. Older models may have high levels of lead.

Cut Trees:

1. When a tree is cut down, farms will plant another one in its place, making the process carbon neutral.
2. If the tree is thrown away, there isn't really much of a benefit.
3. Can be recycled in many areas that have programs.
4. Can be replanted if the root-ball is left intact.

I guess it all depends on how long you plan on keeping your tree and what you plan to do with it when you get rid of it. So, what kind of tree do you use? Any special family traditions or favorite ornaments? It was pretty funny because when I volunteered at this local senior assisted living center this past Friday they were putting up decorations, and they had this huge artificial tree. The activities director kept telling me to "fluff" up the tree branches. I've actually never heard of this expression before.

This image is from eHow.

Use Less Fertilizer

This post is for all of you that have a nice little vegetable garden but find you need to use lots of fertilizer to keep that little garden going.

What's wrong with fertilizer? Well, a little bit won't hurt anyone, but usually if you use fertilizer, some of it will wash off with the rains. Eventually, all these nutrients from everyone's lawns, gardens, and fields, flow into a large body water. Then a phenomenon called eutrophication occurs. All this excess organic chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorous causes huge algal blooms to occur.

Definitely not the prettiest sight. Well, this ugly mess does more than just disgust everyone! When the algae die, a lot of dissolved oxygen in the water is used up by bacteria that are decomposing the bloom. And when the level of oxygen is too low, all kinds of marine life can be harmed, including fish. The Chesapeake Bay is the major body of water near where I live, and I know it is going through a major crisis of algal blooms.

So you ask, Molly, what I am supposed to do if I don't want to use that much fertilizer? I can't just let my vegetables and plants die? Don't worry... a post is coming up soon that might be able to help you.

This image is from Plant Management in Florida Waters.

Grow native plants in your yard

The next time you are at a plant nursery eying that exotic Brazilian plant, remember something- it is to your advantage and to nature's benefit to bring home something that indigenous to the region. There are a number of reasons why this is so.

Flowers, shrubs, and trees that are native to an area are already acclimated to the local temperature, rainfall, soil nutrients, etc. Therefore, it will be less work for you if you chose these species, since they will most likely not need special care or extra attention.

Many exotic plants require extra water, meaning you will have to turn on your sprinklers more often. Remember from the last post, water = valuable resource + money! You want to conserve it, not find ways to use it up.

Additionally, these plants may require special fertilizers or pesticides since they may not have developed protection against local insects or need nutrients not found in the area's soil. Let me explain to you why the less fertilizer/pesticide you use, the better.

After you apply these chemicals to your land, they stick around in the soil and on the plants. When rain comes, they are washed away with the runoff. Eventually, most of the runoff flows in bodies of water such as lakes. Now, pesticides and fertilizers from farmlands and yards accumulate into the lake. The pesticides can kill off beneficial organisms that are essential to the ecosystem of the lake.

The fertilizers also cause a grave problem, known as eutrophication. In this phenomenon, the nutrients in fertilizers such as nitrogen and phosphorous feed the algae in the lake. Because of the excess food, the algae can grow to enormous proportions, in groups known as "algal blooms." Now, when the algae die, bacteria swarm in large numbers to decompose the massive blooms. These bacteria use up a lot of the oxygen in the lake and cause oxygen-free areas known as "dead zones." With little to no oxygen, fish and other creatures die. Eutrophication is a major issue today, especially in the Chesapeake Bay.

Lastly, native plants simply cost less! They don't have to be ugly either- there are many attractive species located in all areas of the world!

The other dangers of exotic species will be addressed in an upcoming post, hopefully. Meanwhile, pay attention to what you are planting in your yard!

The above image is from www.jstryker.com