If you have ever had a real Christmas tree, you will know that a live pine is a real experience in itself and one that generates a feeling of harmony and nature.
But when buying a live tree, it is important to ensure that you buy an eco-friendly option that helps conserve forests and does not contribute to deforestation.
It is very important to know the origin of the trees and that these forest parks comply with sustainable forest management, says conservation organization Greenpeace. Another important quality to make your tree the truly green choice is to ensure that it comes from local producers (which means you can help support them in their work).
Greenpeace also advises that prospective tree-adopters pick a tree that has been properly planted in a pot so that it can be easily transplanted after the holidays are over. Dead trees should also be composted where possible.
Greenpeace also says an artificial tree can be up to six times more polluting than a live tree. As well as requiring fewer resources to produce, a natural tree generates 39 percent less greenhouse gas emissions by capturing CO2 from the environment as they are grown.
If you don’t have the space to replant a tree at the end of the holiday season, why not rent one and return it to the forest in January?
Rent a tree from AAAMAC, State of Mexico
With the motto “Don’t cut, rent instead,” AAAMAC allows you to rent sustainably produced trees, which they will deliver to your home and then collect once the holiday season ends.
The process of renting trees is as follows:
1.You call and rent your tree.
2.AAAMAC buys the pine from a reserve so that it is not cut down and plants it in a pot.
- Your tree is delivered to your home and once the season is over, AAAMAC picks it up and returns it to their Bosque Esmerelda reserve, where it is planted to see out the rest of its life.
You can visit their showroom at the following address or contact them via their website.
Location: Antigua (Centro de Negocios y Entretenimiento), Dr. Jorge Jiménez Cantú, Hda.Valle Escondido, Av. Jorge Jiménez Cantú, Bosque Esmeralda, 52938 Cd López Mateos, Méx.
La Cima del Rocío, Tlalpan, CDMX
La Cima del Rocío likes to say they “Are not cutting, we are controlled planting; we are [providing better] water capture, with more oxygenation.” Located in the forested area of Tlalpan, Mexico City’s most southern borough, this reserve is part of the ‘Bosque de Agua’, one of the main lungs of the city.
The reserve plants trees yearly, and customers can choose from a wide range of options to rent or buy.
You contact them on their social media here.
Location: Carretera Federal a Cuernavaca 42.5 km, Tlalpan, CDMX
Rent trees at Rancho El Paraíso, Guadalajara
A sustainable company that produces, processes, and markets quality trees and promotes fair trade, El Paraíso is located in the beautiful forest of Atemajac de Brizuela, Jalisco. The ranch operates a forestry service and offers tree rental in Guadalajara and the surrounding area. To rent directly:
- Contact El Paraíso via email or call 33 368 900 78 to book an appointment
- Visit the showroom and choose the tree that suits your space
- Wait for home delivery, then have El Paraíso collect the tree after January 9.
Location: Calzada Club Atlas sur 619, Club de Golf Atlas subdivision, in front of Montenegro Park on the road to Chapala.
You can visit their website here.
Union of Forest Producers of Northeast Guanajuato State, San José Iturbide
Operating a sustainable production scheme, the union brings together different foresters from the state of Guanajuato. San José Iturbide is located an hour away from San Miguel de Allende. If you are interested in picking up your tree, contact Benjamín Martínez Cabrera directly via phone at (442) 444 4431 or (419) 198 0223.
Location: Zaragoza #33, Col. El Capulin, San Jose Iturbide. C.P. 37980
Reforestación Extrema, Monterrey
With their ‘Adopt a Pine’ program, you can help Reforestación Extrema to bring trees back to Mexico’s second biggest city.
To buy or rent your sustainable tree from Reforestación Extrema visit their website and follow the simple steps:
- Check the size the price and, the type of adoption (temporary or permanent).
- Fill out the registration form and adopt it online or with a bank deposit.
- Pick up your tree at the Adoption Center or schedule your delivery with an additional cost.
- Send your photos with the decorated tree you adopted.
- Take care of the pine during the holiday season.
- Find a permanent home for your pine in your house or contact them to pick it up (paying for your shipping and one-time collection). All collected pines will be replanted elsewhere in Monterrey.
- This organization will reforest a park in the city with the pine you adopted.
If you have bought a tree but can no longer care for it, make sure to take it to a local collection center to be composted, otherwise, it can end up in a landfill. If you are unsure where your local collection center is, a list can be found here.
If you don’t live near any of the sites discussed in this article, but would still like to enjoy a real tree this holiday season, the government forestry directory can help to put you in touch with someone local.
As well as choosing a sustainable tree, consider other eco-friendly practices during the holiday season, such as using LED lights, recycling wrapping paper, and reducing waste.
By buying or renting an ecological Christmas tree, you are bringing the beauty of nature into your home and contributing to the conservation of forests and the environment. Make a sustainable choice this holiday season and enjoy the benefits of a natural Christmas tree.
Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator of various media such as Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.
