Municipalities are exploring sustainable alternatives for Christmas trees on public squares. Traditionally, large green trees are sourced from far away, resulting in significant resource use and emissions.
Sanne Janssen from Milieu Centraal notes that it takes years for a tree to grow large enough for display, making them less sustainable and harder to replant. Gouda still imports a tree from Norway by ship, later repurposing it into furniture.
Meanwhile, the Dutch Parliament has found a tree closer to home, from Kuinderbos in the Noordoostpolder. In Zwolle, trees are reused annually, donated by residents, embodying a circular approach.
Other cities like Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam have not completely abandoned the traditional trees. Some municipalities are opting for trees made solely of lights for sustainability.
Horst aan de Maas is testing such “light trees” this year. Nijmegen is fully transitioning to light trees for the first time.
Whether these alternatives are truly more sustainable remains uncertain. Janssen emphasizes the importance of maximizing the lifespan of both real and artificial trees.
Renting or adopting living trees or purchasing durable artificial ones are recommended. There are also increasing options for reusing small trees at home over multiple years.
Source: NOS