Have you bought a Christmas tree yet?
Dear Friends,
Have you bought a Christmas tree yet? The very first Christmas tree in England was introduced by Queen Charlotte, the German wife of King George III. Little did she know that 200 years later over 8 million Christmas trees would be sold in the UK each year.
In an article for the BBC, journalist Jocelyn Timperley considered the environmental impact of all these trees. What she discovered surprised me: Real trees aren’t as bad for the environment as I expected. Plastic trees are estimated to have a carbon footprint seven to twenty times higher (but can of course be reused many more times). When it comes to real trees, the use of pesticides and fertilisers are a great concern, but well-managed tree plantations can also provide a boost to biodiversity. One of the biggest issues is around disposal of our trees: trees that end up in landfill emit 4-5 times more carbon than trees that are left to slowly decompose. Of course, the best option for the environment is to keep your tree alive in a pot for several years, until it grows too large, and you plant it out permanently to grow old in peace.
At Christmas we remember the birth of the baby Jesus. Christians believe this fragile baby boy is none other than the Creator of heaven and earth. Immanuel means ‘God with us’. And so, if this planet was good enough for him, it is good enough for us, and worth fighting for. We make room for the ox, the donkey, the sheep and other creatures to worship him. We join with them to welcome our Saviour. We need him more than ever, to show us a better way to live, in harmony with each other and the earth. May his peace fill our world and our hearts this Christmas.
With Christmas blessings,
