Green Options

Last month, I did a little research to find out if I was breaking any “green laws” with my yearly real Christmas tree. It may seem counter-intuitive, but I discovered that many environmentalists are pro-real Christmas trees over artificial trees. Why is it considered more environmentally friendly to cut down trees than have an artificial tree that can be used year after year?

• Most Christmas trees are grown on tree farms - they are considered an agricultural product. They are sustainable, and for each tree that is cut, at least one more tree is planted.
• Tree farms are usually planted on soil that doesn’t support other types of agriculture.
  In the US there are about 1 million acres dedicated to tree farming. Each acre provides enough oxygen for 18 people.

Brazil’s government seems to be doing anything they can to take on the challenge of deforestation and global warming in their country. What is not clear is whether or not these efforts are being made wholeheartedly, or simply as an obligatory exercise.

Brazil possesses a large portion of the world-important Amazon Rainforest, and therefore their attention to the issues of deforestation and global warming is crucial. Earlier this year they opened a $23 million international fund to assist with conservation programs in the Amazon– but said that no strings would be attached. So far Norway is the only country to have donated money to the fund. They say they will donate more, but only if progress is achieved.

Now Brazil’s government has made an even gutsier move– they say they will end deforestation in their country by 2015. The only problem: they don’t have any new plans for how to do it– only old ones that don’t really address the issue of protecting Amazon ecosystems.