Rent-a-tree
- Posted by Anca Dragusin on January 15th, 2008 filed in Environment, Homes and housing, Retail
Opportunity: Providing a solution for environmentally conscious Christmas celebrators
Did you feel at least a bit of guilt about buying a Christmas tree this year?
I believe many of us feel bad about cutting down a tree only to have it up for a couple of weeks and then throw the whole thing away. I know I do, especially after a friend told me he had noticed that not all the trees are even bought.
It would be nice to be able to rent a potted tree, enjoy it a couple of weeks and then either replant it in your own backyard or donate it to a plant-a-tree organization. A flower shop could very easily offer this as a season service.
However, it seems that there is just one company in the world that actually implemented this idea. The original Living Christmas Tree Company crew takes the trees out of the ground, roots and all and puts them in pots. They are then delivered to customers along with care instructions, and will be collected after New Year’s Eve to be planted in parks, school districts and other places.
If you become attached to your “living Christmas tree” you can replant it in your own backyard or you can choose to be informed about where it has been replanted.
Choosing a “living tree” not only does it give you a nice story to tell, but it is also environmentally friendly and by doing it you are subsidizing the price of the trees to the planters (schools,parks,etc.).
So, have you ever felt bad about having a cut down Christmas tree? Would you consider renting one as an option for next Christmas?
Written by Anca Dragusin
January 15th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
This should make the cities happy as they pay more for older trees which will now be donated. Provided there is some coordination on where they need the trees… I am sure many would like the idea.
They should be safer and last longer than an executed tree as well. Christmas lights have gotten safer but they still manage to ignite the dead, dry trees in a house each year.
January 17th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Keeping a balance between trees offered for rental and the demand of trees to be replanted by different communities is indeed a challenge.
That’s why the people at The Original Living Christmas Tree Company must restrict each year the number of trees they take out of the ground.
November 18th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I was just looking to rent a Christmas Tree in Timisoara. Last year I paid about 80 euro for one which I had to throw away, so for sure I would pay for one which I can use and then give back alive. My only concern is that I would like to keep it for about 1 month and I saw that normally on Jan. 1st I have to give it back
Anyhow, it will be a long time I guess until we will have such a service available in Timisoara also.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:11 am
Hi Anca, Thanks for your comment. We have founded the Romania Green Building Council and are ourselves looking for a solution that gets us a tree but in a way that doesn’t contribute to deforestation or involve a large carbon footprint for transporting the tree. We’ll update everyone on our solution on the RoGBC blog shortly.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:13 am
Oh… THX for your article. I never seen better blog.