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| No | 50% | 494 votes | Total: 996 votes | |
| Yes | 50% | 502 votes |
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Add to FavoritesChristmas is a time for celebration and goodwill. When this festive holiday swings around, decorations, presents, and so much more come to mind. The Christmas tree is one of the major decoration centerpieces and should be the eye piece in a home. But when the issue comes to where the tree should come from, cutting live trees down is a horrible thing to do. We are ruining the planet with each tree we cut, we are wasting time and money, and we are killing animals.
As we all know, global warming is an intensely debated issue and one major point are trees. As we know, trees are vital to keeping our CO2 emissions down but as trees disappear each year, saving each tree becomes a goal. Trees breathe just like humans. They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. With each tree we cut down, we are simply hurting ourselves more. And all this for what? An average Christmas tree stays up for about a month but if we were to cut down a live tree just to decorate our homes for a year, the amount of carbon dioxide would increase. Believe it or not, a single tree can absorb 48 lbs of carbon dioxide in a year. If people all over America were to cut down live trees for decoration, the amount of carbon dioxide not absorbed by the trees are affecting people. By keeping the trees alive, we are keeping ourselves alive.
But if keeping trees alive is one point, the time and money wasted would be yet another. If people were to buy an artificial tree and ornaments, the cost range would average around $100. Also, this would only be a hassle every ten years if we treat the trees badly. However, cutting down live trees would result in paying for a tree every single year. The average live Christmas tree cost anywhere from $25 to $50. In just two years, an artificial tree would be the better deal. If this isn't bad enough, getting a real tree every year involves going to the nearest place to purchase a live tree and hauling a tree back on the top of a car. If people were to buy artificial trees, they'd simply have to haul the tree from the attic or basement and set it up. The time and money saved with an artificial tree simply is a much better deal than a live tree.
With every tree that is cut down, hundreds of lives are taken, not human lives but the lives of the insects and animals that called the tree home. Squirrels, raccoons, owls, bugs, rabbits, and any other animal would have no home because we decide to cut down a tree. Christmas is a time for giving, a time for love and happiness, but if we take the homes of hundreds of animals just to decorate our homes for a month, then what exactly is the spirit of Christmas? Killing a human is wrong but isn't killing animals wrong also? And if not to that extreme, wouldn't leaving these animals homeless be bad too? There are other options instead of killing a tree and it's occupants. An artificial tree doesn't involve the lives of animals whereas a live tree does. By making the right choice, we can not only make ourselves happy but others happy too.
When comparing an artificial tree to a live one, the artificial tree gives us more benefits. Were we to get a live tree, the damage done to the environment, the time and money involved, and the lives of animals living in the tree are all affected. If we are to truly get in the spirit of Christmas, we should give back to the world, not cause it more pain.
Learn more about this author, Andrew Cai.
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Yes
When you first think about it, getting a lovely fake tree seems such a good idea!
- You can have one as large as you like and because it lasts from year to year, the cost
is very reasonable
- You don't have to collect it every year
- You don't have to carry it home all in one piece - it comes in sections in a box
- You don't have to cut down any living trees
But wait! These are good reasons to choose a tree if you are only thinking about your own comfort, but on a global scale, fake trees use a lot of energy to produce and aren't biodegradable.
Becaus e of the amount of energy it takes to manufacture a fake Christmas tree, it has a large carbon footprint. This means that the process used to produce it creates a lot of carbon dioxide which damages the environment.
Fake trees don't rot down like real ones ie they aren't biodegradable, so when they are disposed of, they stay in landfill for ever.
Real trees are the best alternative for Christmas. Choose one that is grown near to your home town (to reduce travel costs) and make sure it has been grown on a farm using sustainable farming methods. This way you will have a lovely tree that smells nice and you can know that the pleasure you get from it isn't damaging the environment. Even the 'fun' you have trying to get a 15' tree into 12' vehicle is part of the Christmas experience - the kids will love it, and you'll laugh about it later!
Choose well and have a happy Christmas holiday!
Learn more about this author, Susan Hibberd.
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