Christmas: Eco-friendly alternative trees
If you've decided to give up on traditional Christmas trees this year but still want something to hang your lights on, give these eco-friendly ideas a try.
It doesn't have to be the real thing this season
Nothing says "Christmas is here!" like setting up the tree and covering it in sparkly lights and baubles.
But as environmental and climate awareness grows, many people are starting to look around for alternatives.
One seemingly obvious substitute is the artificial tree. But it's not as eco-friendly as it might seem. Hugely popular in some parts of the world, and designed to look like the real thing, their fake needles are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which can take hundreds of years to break down. In fact, you'd have to use your plastic Christmas tree for 20 years for it to be as environmentally-friendly as using a real one just once.