Central Florida Green Guide

Our family has had the same fiber-optic Christmas tree since they first became popular nearly a decade ago.  My husband is happy with keeping the same old tree for frugal and, believe it or not, nostalgic reasons, but I feel it is time to experience something new, and what I have found is an eco-friendly option, this year.  Yes, “All I want for Christmas is a real Christmas tree,” in my best sing-song voice.

Our family plans to visit Santa’s Christmas Tree Forest.  Since we have not been yet, I cannot say whether they offer the potted tree option, but one of the pictures I saw on the website suggests you can choose and cut your tree or buy a live and potted one.  I like the fact that the forest is local and provides a sustainable resource option each year for families who like to have a tree during the holidays. 

I did some research before deciding we would buy a live tree to learn which is more environmentally friendly…reusing an artificial tree year after year or cutting down a fresh, live evergreen.  I found it is far better to buy a cut real Christmas tree than a fake one.  Here’s a condensed pro/con list for you:

Artificial trees:

• Non-biodegradable since they are made of plastic.  Most are made of a type of plastic called polyvinyl chloride (PVC). 
• PVC causes tons of pollution.
• PVC is hard to recycle.
• Lead has been found in PVC.
• Manufacturing process requires large amounts of fossil fuels.
• 80% are imported.

Live trees:

• Can be potted and planted in mild areas.
• Each acre that grows them can provide the daily oxygen requirement for 18 people. 500,000 acres in the US grow them.
• Take on average 7 years to grow while providing birds and mammals a wider cover habitat than other crops.
• Reduces the humidity in the nearby climate while improving the air quality allowing for less need of air conditioning unit energy output.
• Are raised for the purpose of being harvested and often grown on land that could not support another type of agriculture which aids the soil.
• Sustainable resource since for every tree harvested at least one more is planted.

The farm is open from November 23 until December 23.  Business hours are from 9:00am to 6:30pm.  In addition to purchasing a tree, the facility offers lots of fun family adventures including hayrides to and from the forest (free if you buy a tree, otherwise the cost is $1), cart rides, horse and pony rides, a maze in the woods ($1 for each of these), petting farm (free), a haystack (free), concessions, gift shop and bonfires for making s’mores or roasting hot dogs.  Santa is visiting the forest the first three weekends after Thanksgiving from Noon until 4:00pm.  The facility is also available for private parties after 7:00pm and for school field trips.

Jill enjoys spending her days being a helpmate to her husband and raising her three children.  She holds two bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Biology.  Some of her favorite hobbies are gardening, playing the piano and cooking.  Jill is a Juice Plus+ distributor.  Her family are the humans to Lucy, the rescued dog,  Smokey, the rescued cat and soon to be humans of a flock of chickens, too!