TREES FOR TROOPS 2011

Michigan Christmas tree growers are donating 1,100 real Christmas trees in an effort to help military families celebrate the upcoming holiday. The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation in cooperation with FedEx and the Michigan Christmas Tree Association announce a Trees for Troops program that will provide farmgrown Christmas trees to more than 16,000 troops and their families. The program expects to deliver its 100,000th Christmas tree this season since the program’s inception in 2005.

FedEx will pick up 300 of the 1,100 trees donated by Michigan growers at 10:00 am on November 29 at Dutchman Tree Farms, located at 9689 W. Walker Rd., Manton, MI 49663. These trees will become part of the more than 16,000 donated fresh Christmas trees for the Trees for Troops effort. The Michigan-grown trees loaded at Dutchman Tree Farms are destined for Fort Hood.

The Trees for Troops program will first collect, and then deliver the fresh Christmas trees to families at 63 military bases across America. The Trees for Troops program provides a way for all Americans to show their appreciation for the sacrifices that U.S. troops and their families are making this holiday season.

Members of the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) and at least 20 state or regional Christmas Tree Associations are donating the Christmas trees. FedEx is providing free shipping. The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation – based in Chesterfield, Mo, is a not-for-profit foundation that advances the Christmas spirit for children, families and the environment. Trees for Troops is just one of its projects.

For more details, go to www.ChristmasSpiritFoundation.org. Consumers that are interested in supporting the Trees for Troops program and the Christmas Spirit Foundation can make a contribution on-line at: www.ChirstmasSpiritFoundation.org.

Many Michigan Choose & Cut Christmas tree growers will also be accepting contributions for the Christmas Spirit Foundation and to support Trees for Troops at their farms throughout the Christmas season.

To make arrangements for on-site interviews and photos during the scheduled pick up of trees, contact Chris Maciborski at Dutchman Tree Farms: (231) 839-7901 or Marsha Gray at the Michigan Christmas Tree Association:(517)242-1630 (cell)

For More Information Contact:
Marsha Gray
Michigan Christmas Tree Association
517-545-9971
517-242-1630 (cell)
517-545-4501(fax)
mjgray1@charter.net

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The American Christmas Tree Association, As Fake as Their Christmas Trees

Today I read the following article on the American Christmas Tree Association's (ACTA) web-site: Carbon Footprint Study Finds Artificial Christmas Trees Best for the Environment.

My curiosity got the better of me and I searched their site hoping to find the results of this study. My efforts were in vain. The only information I found, other than their interpretation of the supposed results, was that the study was an "in-depth analysis". Now if that doesn't make you wonder, look them up on Wikipedia. You will read the following, "The group claims to have sponsored studies, but hasn't released the actual studies to the public".

Still not convinced? Here is an excerpt from their study:

"The study, sponsored by the American Christmas Tree Association and conducted by leading international sustainability firm PE Americas, found that the most significant contribution to global warming came from fossil fuel consumption in transportation of real Christmas trees from tree farms and lots to consumer homes."

What is wrong with this picture? I can see three things:

1. It looks like the root of the problem here is "fossil fuel consumption in transportation", that is driving a car, and has very little to do with Christmas trees.
2. Last time I checked an artificial Christmas tree doesn't just appear in a living room. I think someone has to drive to the local Home Depot or Lowe's and pick it up.
3. If the ACTA went to all the trouble of sponsoring this study why didn't they publish the scientific results?

I am the kind of guy who needs answers and after reading this article it left me with a question. Is there something they aren't telling me? I promptly began to do my own research and this is what I found.

Artificial Christmas trees are made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). What's the big deal, right? We have pipes in our basements and wires in our walls which contain PVC. Wrong!

1. Early 1970's Dr. John Creech and Dr. Maurice Johnson were the first to clearly link and recognize the cancer causing tendency found in the chemicals used in PVC.
2. Greenpeace has advocated the global discontinuing of PVC because dioxin is produced as a byproduct vinyl chloride manufacturing and from the burning of PVC waste.
3. California is currently considering a bill, sponsored by Californians Against Waste to ban using PVC in packaging because of the threats it poses to the health of humans and the environment.
4. PVC is not normally recycled after use because the recycling process is very costly.
5. In 2005 Dr. Richard Maas, after a study conducted on artificial Christmas trees, is quoted as saying, "We found that if we leave one of these trees standing for a week, and we wipe under the tree we'll find large amounts of lead dust..."
6. A 2008 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report found that of the 50 million artificial trees in the US about 20 million were 9 or more years old, the point where dangerous lead levels are reached.
7. California requires that each artificial Christmas tree come with a warning label about the toxins contained in the PVC.

So does this mean a real Christmas tree is better?

I was able to find a study that actually did share it's scientific results. There are three points I want to highlight about this study:

1. Results show that a natural tree will generate 3.1 kg of greenhouse gases whereas the artificial tree will produce 8.1 kg per year.
2. ellipsos chose the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method to perform this study. It follows the recognized ISO 14040 and 14044 standards and it was reviewed by an independent third-party of peers.
3. Interestingly, to compensate for the impacts of a Christmas tree, be it natural or artificial, one can offset the carbon emissions by carpooling or biking to work only one to three weeks per year.(I wonder how many people at the American Christmas Tree Association are doing their part here...)

One last note. For every Christmas tree cut down on a farm many more are planted. Dutchman Tree Farms planted over 750 thousand trees already this year.

Regarding whether the American Christmas Tree Association is a fake like their trees... I'll let you decide.

References:

• The American Christmas Tree Association's dubious study
• Notes on PVC
• Californians Against Waste's sponsored bill
• Quick Facts about Lead in Artificial Christmas Trees
• Summary of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted by ellipsos
• Scientific Results of LCA (found in the pdf at the bottom of the article)
• Oh Christmas tree, oh green Christmas tree

Buzz'n Around the Christmas Tree

Smell is believed to be the most powerful memory related sense. When I smell a Christmas tree, the ghosts of Christmas past start haunting me. Great memories of family, gifts and good times flash before my minds eye and immediately my spirits rise.

Now imagine working at a Christmas Tree farm. These memories never grow dim but are always present. The work on the farm is both exhilarating and at times exhausting.

It is exhilarating because each day the spirit of Christmas is always present which is a motivation to look forward to the Christmases yet to come.

It can be exhausting because many long weeks, months, and years go into each tree. Each tree which eventually will end up possibly in your living room where you and your family will create many great and lasting memories together around your Christmas tree.

I hope to be able to shed some light on the TLC which goes into your Christmas tree, long before it even makes it to your living room. Here at Dutchman Tree Farms we strive to produce the highest quality Christmas and landscaping trees.