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Christmas Trees: Fresh vs. Artificial

Posted on in Green Landscaping

Which one is more environmentally friendly?

How can each of us make a positive impact on the environment during the holidays? Christmas trees are an investment whether fresh or artificial so we can decorate our homes for the holidays. So which is better in the long run?

The two main points that are always brought up when I have this discussion are, for fresh trees: supporting our economy and buying a living tree that releases oxygen improving air quality. For artificial: buy a tree once and it becomes reusable year after year. These are valid opinions for each side but what are the facts?

Fresh-cut Trees:

  • Christmas trees are grown on farms by growers (not from forests), supporting our economy and only harvested every 10 years
  • Ontario grown trees are available, however nurseries also ship in trees from the east and west coast – fossil fuels required for transportation
  • Living trees contribute to our air quality absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen
  • These trees can remove up to 13 tons of airborne pollutants per acre per year
  • Increase wildlife species and diversity, especially if planted next to an open field or forest
  • 28,315 hectares of farmland devoted to growing Christmas trees in Canada (in 2012) – that’s a lot of oxygen!
  • $1,738,212 (in 2012) – total value of fresh-cut trees sold in Canada
  • Can be recycled – either chipped and used as mulch or used for restoration projects

Artificial Trees:

  • Cheap, reusable and convenient – especially if it comes with installed lights!
  • Made from plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC); in production of PVC the toxic chemical dioxin is released into the environment
  • PVC contains hormone disrupting plastic softeners called phthalates
  • Primarily produced in Chinese factories – shipped to Canada (large amounts of fossil fuels used to create and ship this product)
  • Supporting China’s economy with smaller percentage of trees imported from Thailand, U.S., Mexico and Vietnam
  • Average lifespan in the household is 6-9 years
  • $47 million – value of artificial trees imported to Canada – more than $46 million of that came from China (in 2012)
  • These trees cannot be recycled and fill up our landfills!

In researching these facts, finding out that we discard our artificial trees after only 6-9 years was surprising. My family has a small tree that we have had for at least 25 years! The thought of how many artificial trees go to the landfill is pretty shocking to me, especially knowing that a plastic bag takes about 1000 years to decompose.

So which is better? When I read through all the pros and cons of both sides I cannot ignore are all the benefits a real tree gives back to the environment. Yes it’s true, there are fossil fuels used to cut down the tree, transport it from the farm all the way to our homes but upon reading that 13 tons of airborne pollutants are removed from an acre per year is pretty incredible. Now multiply that times ten because that acre of farmland won’t be harvested for ten years! I think it’s safe to say that those fossil fuels get cancelled out…I can’t say the same for the artificial trees.

I am also happy to share just one of the many ways our trees can help with local environmental restoration, for example, the Royal Botanical Gardens uses berms of Christmas trees to maintain wetland wildlife habitats.

Check out this link for a video:

http://www.chch.com/where-to-plant-your-used-christmas-tree/

Lastly, even though this blog post is geared toward the environment, I can’t help but think of those 28,315 hectares of farmland that are filled with Christmas trees and all the growers who dedicate their livelihood to growing all those trees just so that every year each of us can have one for Christmas.

I hope this post informs and influences you to make a better, more informed decision when purchasing a tree this year.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Andrea

Post contributed by Andrea Weddum, Landscape Designer

For any questions or comments please comment on our
Facebook page.

References:

http://www.chch.com/where-to-plant-your-used-christmas-tree/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/7-facts-and-figures-about-christmas-trees-in-canada-1.1192646

http://www.realchristmastrees.org/dnn/Education/FakeTrees.aspx

http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/wellbeing/christmas-tree-dilemma-real-or-fake

Gelderman Landscape Services
4.6
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Great work around the building today. A complete turn around of the environment. Thank you to Nate from waterloo, Sam, Ian,Pat,Dan,Justin and Luke.
deji salami
deji salami
23:27 22 Apr 24
Many thanks to Maddy, Hamsa, Nelson, Solomon and Clark for all their work today. Our yard looks fabulous.
Kathy Havill
Kathy Havill
20:44 22 Apr 24
Nate from Waterloo did a fantastic job!5/5!
Chris Parvanyik
Chris Parvanyik
18:15 21 Apr 24
I am a tenant of 750 Lawrence Street in Cambridge. Our Condo corporation has hired Gelderman to do our townhouse subdivision for multiple years. They do a great job every year and make it a beautiful place to live.Thanks this year to Employees: Nate, Sam, Pat, Ian, and Dan who were responsible for the great work last week.
Aaron Wright
Aaron Wright
16:36 21 Apr 24
Nate Pat Dan Sam and Ian did wonderful job..Appreciated guys
Abhi Abhi
Abhi Abhi
19:20 18 Apr 24
Their home services are fabulous. We had the best team at our home and they did a great job✨ would like to mention their names as they deserve it.Nate, Pat, Sam, Ian and Dan. Keep doing good work guys.Thankyouu so much.. 🫡
Nisha Patel
Nisha Patel
19:08 18 Apr 24
Dealing with Alexandra and Adam at Gelderman is always such a pleasure! I always know I'm in good hands when they are helping me. Thanks for being so fantastic guys!
Madeline Bickford
Madeline Bickford
00:17 13 Apr 24
nate tim and corry are doin a great job all aroundthank you for your hard work !
Bellwell Wisher
Bellwell Wisher
19:58 10 Apr 24
Thank you so much Nate, Tim, CoryIsherwood
Karan Khanna
Karan Khanna
19:58 10 Apr 24
Gelderman is your 1 stop shop for all things landscape! Milena is incredibly service oriented I highly recommend this company for the upcoming season!
Naomi Trestrail
Naomi Trestrail
18:04 06 Mar 24
Jon Stemmler
Jon Stemmler
23:07 12 Feb 24
Nate, noah, azzi, riley…. Very professional n very respectful!!!Wheat lane
Janak patel
Janak patel
01:20 24 Jan 24
We had Gelderman replace our rear deck - the old one was starting to lean and some of the boards were beginning to rot. Gelderman designed and build the replacement.Have to say we were very impressed with the entire process - that included their design proposal, demolition of the old deck, and construction of the replacement.Probably worth noting that there was also a large dead tree in the yard that they removed. We were pleasantly surprised when they managed to remove the tree and demolish the rear deck and load all that into a dumpster in one day. And construction of the new deck (and replacement of one section of fencing) didn't take very long either.Gelderman also widened our driveway - it's composes of paving slabs so they added another row on one side - that had to be done because the "old" driveway was too narrow to park two cars.While I was impressed with the entire crew I do want to make special mention of Dave Blankestjin (the site supervisor), Tristan (sp?) who was involved in the demolition, wiring the lights, and replacing sod where necessary, and Jamie the carpenter (who not only did an excellent job on the deck but did so in a surprisingly short time.And I'd be remiss if I didn't comment on their office staff. The billing function went smoothly - have to compliment Milena for keeping on top of that.
Sam Adams
Sam Adams
15:31 18 Jan 24
Our condo condominium corporation is in the third year of a five-year contract with Gelderman. At budget time it is comforting to know that we don't need to look for contractors. We know that we are in for another year of excellent service at the right price.I can honestly say that our summer and winter services contract with GLS is probably the best investment we have made during my 20 years on our Board.Performance is first class and their management and work crews are knowledgeable, very capable, friendly and accommodating.I can highly recommend them to anyone looking for a landscaping contractor.
Reg J
Reg J
21:54 16 Jan 24
I have been on our condo board for 5 years and have supported Gelderman as our summer and winter landscape/snow removal supplier. I am especially pleased with the current staff and management servicing our Cambridge site.
Paul Olinski
Paul Olinski
22:34 05 Jan 24
Donna Marie
Donna Marie
13:33 31 Dec 23
We had our backyard completely re-done this summer by the team at Gelderman, and couldn't be happier with the results. Really appreciated getting the work done in time for us to enjoy our new "staycation" space all summer. From our first contact with Chris to develop a plan, to the customer service support from Milena, to the team on the ground, it was a very professional, well organised experience. A particular shout out to our backyard team; Phil, Cody, Brad and Justin. You guys rocked!Look forward to working with you again next year for the front yard.
Rose Stone
Rose Stone
09:50 21 Dec 23
The skill, care and attention to detail and kindness of this Gelderman's Landscaping Company knows no bounds it seems, from Harry the owner, to the two stars who came most recently, Dave and Shawn, and the lovely, smart and accomodating person in the office, Milena. I have watched them do magnificent huge jobs on my street - this very modest job was treated with equivalent care. So fortunate to have them here! Lee Ford-Jones
Elizabeth Ford-Jones
Elizabeth Ford-Jones
14:54 12 Dec 23
This is our first time working with Gelderman and it was a fantastic experience. Ultimately our project is a two part project with our side and back yard done this fall and the front will be done next spring. From the get-go everyone was really great to work with. Chris was very approachable and responsive throughout the design process and very helpful in understanding the art of the possible. John and Rene were our primary crew on site and not only were they very friendly and patient with any of our questions , it was very clear that they worked well together, took great pride in their work and were very meticulous. It was also obvious that the whole job was very well orchestrated.A big thank you to the whole Gelderman team and we look forward to part 2 in the spring!Monika and Steve
Monika Callin
Monika Callin
15:59 02 Dec 23
This summer we worked with the Gelderman Team on a landscaping project for our front and rear yards. Everything from the initial site visit to the final walk around exceeded our expectations. The property was transformed. Special shout outs to Chris, Dave, Justin, Tristan, and to Milena who is amazing at customer service. Highly recommend this team.
Lynn Hoffmann
Lynn Hoffmann
15:00 29 Nov 23
This project was our third project with GLS and again, we couldn’t be happier with their professionalism and meticulous attention to detail. Our project included removal of the existing steps/pavers/landings from our front driveway to the secondary steps/landings (which remain in place) that lead up to our front door; complete re-excavation of the area; installation of a solid concrete base; and installation of new pavers and risers. After initial consultations and scheduling with Chris about the work to be done, GLS’ professional crew (Jon, Rene and Darrin) not only started the project on time, but also completed the job earlier than expected. You could easily tell the team worked well together, they took great pride in their work, and were very friendly and courteous. In addition, team members were quite open and adaptive to accommodating modifications as the project unfolded. There was minimal disruption for us and our neighbours, and the crew cleaned up at the end of each day. We are very happy with the end product, including the quality and selection of stone materials to complement the existing stonework leading up to the front door. Visitors have been highly complementary and impressed with the overall appearance of our new front entranceway. (And a shout out to both Milena and Phil for their management, back office and communication support for the on-site team.) We highly recommend Gelderman Landscape Services for the quality and value of their services.
Bob Carmichael
Bob Carmichael
18:07 21 Nov 23
This is our second project with Gelderman Landscape services. Our project involved the demolition and restructuring our front entrance way. Jon, Rene and Darren were on hand each day to complete the job and available to answer any questions we might have. Clean up was done at the end of each day which was appreciated as we did not want to negatively impact our neighbours. What I appreciated most about these gentlemen was their ability to work as a team with great communication and what appeared to be genuine friendships. Well done guys.
Donna Armstrong
Donna Armstrong
13:28 21 Nov 23
Reached out to Gelderman to remove 3 large piles of leaves - within 3 hours the vacuum truck arrived and I was greeted by Dana Morales Perez. One of the hardest working individuals I have ever met . . . she was fast and meticulous. Thanks Gelderman and Dana!
Gord Pinard
Gord Pinard
02:55 14 Nov 23
We used Gelderman last year to design and build a new backyard for us. It was an excellent result and the entire experience was terrific. Unfortunately, it was so good our neighbours decided to redo their backyard this year and they foolishly went with another company. That company made a mess of our recently landscaped yard and left us with an unsightly view along one side of of yard. I reached out to Chris Mace who immediately put a team into action and covered up the terrible looking fence/wall with a flower box running the length of the yard. The team, lead by Dan and assisted by Phil Watson, was super efficient and a pleasure to work with throughout. Got the whole thing done in two days, which gave us enough time to prepare the year for the winter. Can't say enough about the Gelderman Team from start to finish and can't recommend them highly enough.
Duncan Gillespie
Duncan Gillespie
17:59 01 Nov 23
Lee Killoran
Lee Killoran
20:37 19 Oct 23
Shelby
Shelby
18:50 19 Oct 23
James Sean and Ireland they do a good job. They keep clean our area.
Alberto Reyes
Alberto Reyes
12:43 19 Oct 23
We recently had our front, side and backyard landscaped by Gelderman including driveway, patios, soft scape, sod and irrigation.  Throughout the process Gelderman staff were extremely professional, competent, and customer focused.  The process started with a team led by Meaghan who record detailed measurements of the house and property and took grade elevations in advance of the design.  Soon after we were presented with a beautiful detailed design done by Chris which balanced thoughtful plant selection and subtle delineation of separate seating/living areas with different paving stone sizes and patterns.  Chris then met with us to finalize the plant selection according to our preferences and provided an updated design and proposal broken down into areas and elements in case we wanted to proceed in phases.Following the design and proposal, I obtained quotes from a number of other landscape contractors but chose to go with Gelderman because we felt that they could best implement the design.Dave acted as the foreman for the project and was a pleasure to deal with. He kept us informed throughout the work stages and was very responsive to any questions that we raised.  Our hard scape crew with Sean, Jay and Justin handled the stripping of sod and topsoil, pouring reinforced concrete bases for our shed and raised staircase, and prepping and laying paving stones in four different areas.  We were impressed with their diverse skill sets and craftsmanship. Over the three weeks that they worked on site, they never left the without cleaning up and securing the site.The soft scape crew with Tristan, Kay and Armenio prepped the garden beds, planted the trees, shrubs and flowers and gave us great advice on how to maintain it in the future.We also dealt with Milena who was always pleasant and very responsive to our calls.Overall, we found Gelderman’s process from start to finish to be stress free as they were very communicative and accommodating. We love the finished product and are receiving many compliments from people that drive or walk by. We are very pleased that we selected Gelderman and would highly recommend them.
John S
John S
17:01 17 Oct 23
We are so pleased with the work done by Gelderman. They took what felt like an unusable side patio and turned it into an extension of our home. Thank you in particular to Milena, Phil, Greg and Michael for their hard work, skill and professionalism. We will definitely turn to Gelderman for future projects.
Heather Burgess
Heather Burgess
01:12 11 Oct 23
Thank you to Maria, Ireland and Shane for their great work today! We appreciate their attention to detail when managing our complex landscaping to ensure it always looks its best. Thank you Team!
heather donaldson
heather donaldson
19:52 21 Sep 23
Gelderman Landscape Services are our Landscape providers and Winter and Summer maintenance providers. We are a 93 unit townhouse complex in south Burlington and we are currently over hauling all of our landscaping, to deliver a sustainable, drought tolerant and pollinater environment .This season, Gelderman did additional landscaping at our complex including planting of additional plants, trees and installing new pathways, steps and creating soil retention barriers with anchor stone.All of the work was done quickly, professionally and in a tidy manner. The crew lead by John B. was Darren, Scott, Kent and Dan. You could not ask for a better team, or company.5 star service all around!Judy Boudreau, member of the Board of Directors
judy boudreau
judy boudreau
21:42 18 Sep 23
I'm updating a review and rewriting it for Gelderman for the second time for services delivered. In 2022, I wrote a 5* review for this company as it was our first business interaction with them. At that time, the team of James, Jared, Elpidio and Mark showcased the full professionalism and services that warrant a perfect rating.This year, in 2023, we were pleased to not only bring Gelderman back, but see a familiar face in James, that had now become a team lead (congratulations)! The continuation of team members gave comfort as they knew exactly what we were looking for from our business side. Needless to say, the team of James, Clark, Kurt and Keith continued to carry the Gelderman banner strong, as they wasted no time getting to work and performing their roles with detail and diligence. They once again, worked around our business needs and showcased that our business needs are also reflected in their efforts and care!We look forward to expanding our services with Gelderman as their operations and on site staff make it easy to book and deliver results!Well Done!Taras StrusHamilton Parking Private
Taras Strus
Taras Strus
01:30 13 Sep 23
This company knows how to deliver customer service! Communication with our contacts, Suzanne and Mark, is easy and responses are prompt (so awesome!). After just one visit, Maria, Sean & Ireland have made our complex look 100 times better already! Kudos Gelderman! You know how to choose your employees and they are clearly happy to work for you!
Joanne Ameli
Joanne Ameli
02:13 08 Sep 23
Great service rec'd at our commercial property - thanks to Suzanne for coordinating a clean up project we requested.- but 5 stars for the crew, Alex, Jamal, Kurt and Christian! The team went over and above our expectations - the property looks much better since they completed the project. Thanks to all from Watts Water/Burlington.
rhonda wilson
rhonda wilson
17:24 31 Aug 23
We are extremely happy with the results of the landscaping to both our front and backyard. John was extremely professional and responded quickly to any questions we had. His crew of Scott and Kent were just as professional and worked very efficiently. At the end of each day they cleaned up the site so no messes were left behind. They were all very courteous to work with and made great suggestions along the way so the end result was better than expected. Nothing but compliments from all the neighbours. We would definitely recommend them to anyone.
David Smart
David Smart
23:46 28 Aug 23
So pleased with my experience with Gelderman!! Milena was so helpful and a pleasure to deal with! Highly recommend!
Melanie Joga
Melanie Joga
20:20 28 Aug 23
My compliments to the hard working team of Maria, Sean, and Ireland. Lots of homeowner comments about how nice they keep our community looking.
Ken Martin
Ken Martin
21:56 24 Aug 23
Shawn and his team did a great job today on trimming the hedges. They look great! Thanks
Marilyn Falconi
Marilyn Falconi
21:22 11 Aug 23
Gelderman provided excellent service with stripping, installing topsoil and laying down sod in our backyard. Chris and Milena answered all our questions and provided a quote back in October 2022. We booked the job for mid-May 2023. Phil took care of all the details and even worked directly with another company that installed our deck. Darren, Jon and Rene executed the plans flawlessly with all work done within a couple of days. We are extremely pleased with the end results and will be using Gelderman for any future projects!
Brad Peirce
Brad Peirce
20:07 20 Jul 23
My mother is a guest at Mt Nemo nursing home. I noticed that the yards was looking particularly good lately. Kudos to Sloan and her crew. Wonderful job
theresa johnston
theresa johnston
20:14 16 Jul 23
We had a great experience working with Gelderman on the landscaping of our front and back yard area. Everyone involved in the process was friendly, professional and responsive to questions/concerns. The landscape design process, yard prep, irrigation, lighting and planting work was well planned and executed. Special thanks to Chris, Phil, Tristan and Greg.
Deborah Gullaher
Deborah Gullaher
21:09 07 Jul 23
Gelderman Landscape services took our dreams and made it a reality in two short months. Our complete redo of the backyard was done on time and in time for our family to enjoy for the summer! Their attention to every detail, the professionalism of the daily crew (Jon S, Darren, Rene, Kay, & Tristan) who became part of our family, and the over site and planning by Chris and Phil was essential for timely and professional deployment and completion. Thanks for all the hard work and for the red carpet treatment all the way through!
Ben & Rachel Helder
Ben & Rachel Helder
00:52 05 Jul 23
Gelderman recently planted trees on our property. The entire crew were professional, courteous, careful, and a pleasure to have working at our property. Thank you to John Buikema, and the rest of the crew--Shane, Scott, Kent and Darren!! We would highly recommend Gelderman!
William Richards
William Richards
15:33 23 Jun 23
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