Quite a few readers took exception to our statement that artificial trees are an environmentally friendly choice. The basic feeling was that tree farms are a renewable resource. A few people mentioned that since young trees absorb more carbon dioxide than old ones, it's actually beneficial to cut them down and replant yet again. We prefer to take a more holistic, life-cycle perspective. It's not uncommon for fertilizers and pesticides to be applied to promote growth, or herbicides used to control unwanted species.
Trees are also regularly watered to help ensure quick and continued growth.
Thus, Christmas trees are really a crop, and not truly a forest. While artificial trees are not renewable, we suspect that the amount of resources consumed over the life of a reusable tree are significantly less than the resources consumed when buying many live trees over many years. As for the carbon dioxide issue, we're not sure that the reduction from Christmas tree farming is that significant. Many readers wanted to know if there are more active steps that can be taken to stop junk mail than merely contacting the Mail Preference Service. Some asked how they can reduce phone solicitations.