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What is the fate of the UK’s 6 million Christmas trees when the festivities are over?
3rd January 2014
This is a topical theme that could be explored when term starts to get pupils thinking about sustainability, waste and recycling.
This article from The Guardian explores the fate of our Christmas trees when the festivities are well and truly over.
Where do the UK's 6 million Christmas trees end up?
It is packed with facts and figures - you could create a multiple choice quiz from the information:
- How many "real" Christmas trees are bought in Britain every year? (6-8 million)
- How long does it take the Nordmann fir (non-drop) variety to grow to 6ft? (10 years)
- How many tonnes of Christmas trees are dumped each year? (160, 000)
Fly tipping is a problem and landfill is both economically and environmentally costly. However, the article gives details about the various recycling options, including what is done in Lewisham and Brighton & Hove. And what about fake trees? Perhaps it would be more environmentally friendly if we all bought plastic trees to get down from the loft for the annual celebrations? Well, this may not be the answer - can the students think why? What do they think would be the best option? The article ends by giving us the answer.