Did someone say Christmas Trees?
It’s a familiar icon, the Christmas tree. And whether you celebrate the holidays with a tree of your own or not, it can’t be denied that this American symbol has come to mean a lot to many people right here in Maryland.
In fact, the Maryland State Fairground in Timonium is hosting the annual Festival of Trees, one of the largest holiday events on the East Coast! There are more than 500 trees showcased this year all decorated with a variety of themes. The Festival of Trees is a main staple for Maryland and has been ongoing for more than two decades. It has raised more than $12 million for Baltimore’s Kennedy Krieger Center, a hospital that helps children with disabilities.
The Christmas tree also causes quite a stir for people that are die-hard “real tree” versus “fake tree” fans. Each group has their own reasons for choosing real versus fake during the holiday season, whether economic or environmental.
Maryland’s governor Martin O’Malley is a real-tree supporter and has emphasized how buying real trees contributes to local farmers and the economy. There are aproximately 200 Christmas tree farmers in Maryland but O’Malley has stated that as more families have opted for fake trees over the years that it is hurting the tree farming industry.
Fake-tree supporters argue that they aren’t taking a tree away from its natural enviroment and that it saves their family money in the long run to use the same tree every year and not have to buy a new one. Real-tree supporters respond that plastic trees are not biodegradable and toxic to produce. Real-tree supporters also point out that people can buy a potted live tree and then replant or donate it to replant. Cut trees can also be recycled at the end of the season to remulch and like other crops they clean the air.
We’re not going to argue either way here at AYRTE, we’re just good old-fashioned tree lovers. The only thing we will say is that we love any season that glorifies trees!
Sources:
Photo courtesy of WJZ.com
http://your4state.com/content/fulltext/?cid=90882
http://www.sustainabilityninja.com/eco-news/real-or-fake-which-christmas-tree-is-more-eco-friendly-88529/
http://wjz.com/local/festival.of.trees.2.1337249.html