From: snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu (John Snyder)
Subject: Re: Christmas tree alternative?
Organization: Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 03:15:19 GMT

In article <1992Nov20.090818.19570@informix.com> louiset@informix.com (Louise Twiggs) writes:
>In article <1992Nov20.004323.12306@fs7.ece.cmu.edu> snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu (John Snyder) writes:
>>In article <3350@voodoo.UUCP> mnb@voodoo.boeing.com (Mike Burr) writes:
>>>In article <1992Nov17.190036.17126@infonode.ingr.com> jimreed@b23b.b23b.ingr.com writes:
>>>>
>>>>Actually, if there was no demand, it would not have been planted in the
>>>>first place.  The vast majority of Christmas trees purchased in the U.S.
>>>>are grown on Christmas Tree Farms, not harvested from "the wild".
>>>>
>>>
>>>This is generally true, but I'd like to add a few counter points...
>>>not to spoil anybodys Christmas you understand - just some food for
>>>thought.
>>>
>>>A.  In some cases the land the tree farms are on wouldn't have been
>>>    cleared in the first place.  And in general basic farming practices
>>>    are in effect on xmas tree farms - ie. "Kill everything that could
>>>    harm the crop with pesticides, etc."  So I'm not convienced that
>>>    xmas tree farms are a net benifit to the environment.
>>>
>>
>>One can just as easily argue that Christmas-tree growing preserves
>>already-cleared farmland that otherwise would be sold for use
>>as housing developments or shopping malls.  I'll wager that
>>many more Christmas trees are grown on existing farms than
>>are grown on freshly-cleared land.  
>>
>>As to "general basic farming practices", the same can be said for 
>>broccoli-growing.  Seriously, if you have a problem with growing
>>a crop for decoration instead of food, consider these:
>>
>>1)  Do you wear natural-fiber clothing?  What about all that
>>farmland devoted to cotton agriculture?  All that rangeland
>>over-grazed by sheep?  All those dead silkworms?
>>
>>2)  Do you wear leather shoes?  Again, what about all that
>>over-grazed rangeland turning to desert?  And all those dead cattle?
>>
>>3)  Do you use paper decorations?  Paper napkins?  Paper Kleenexes?
>>I believe that a sizeable number of wild forest trees are cut for paper.
>>
>>[...some stuff deleted...]
>>
>>
>>John
>>snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu
>
>
>Do you eat in fast food 'burger' joints?  etc etc
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

In general, no.  The last time was probably about 2 years ago.  

But, what's your point?

My point is that many people who scream bloody murder about "killing the
poor helpless trees"  for Christmas decoration, think nothing about using 
products whose impact on forests and grasslands is at least as bad or 
considerably worse.  All of the questions that I raise above have to
do with agricultural or forest products grown for decorative uses.
Christmas trees are, in general, *farmed*, and as such, 
the environmental impact of cutting them is not considerably different
from cutting broccoli (and I do eat lots of broccoli with a clear
conscience).

Christmas tree agriculture also helps keep alive one of our endangered
species -- the American small farmer.  And in the East, at least, when
a farm goes out of business, it does not become wild land.  It generally
becomes a housing development or a shopping center.  Where I grew up,
my parents house was surrounded by small farms, and lots of diverse wildlife.
The farmers left woodlots, fencerows, and a band of woods along the stream
uncultivated, and the hayfields and cornfields provided feed and homes
for lots of wild creatures.  

Now my parents' house is surrounded by housing developments, and an 
environment whose wild plant and animal life is considerably diminished.  
Furthermore, there are problems with silting and flooding in the stream, 
because too much of its watershed is now blacktop.  

Now, I ask you:  Who is the better steward of the land, the small farmer?
or the housing developer?  I believe that the answer is obvious.


John
snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu


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