Environmental Wacko Letter to Editor

Reading (Pa.) Eagle | Dec. 15, 2004

[Russ]

Find alternative to cutting trees

Editor:

When I saw the article headline “No need to take a bow for switch to using alternative Christmas tree” in the Dec. 8 edition of the Reading Eagle, I thought I would read about an alternative to cutting live trees. Instead, the article extolled the qualities of an open-branched live tree which could display more ornaments than the machine-sheared variety.

At a time when increasing numbers of us bemoan the loss of beautiful trees, this season still represents the wholesale slaughter of many millions of them. People who buy live cut trees rave about how wonderful they smell. In fact, that smell is the aroma of a magnificent living thing in its death throes.

Decorating live balled trees that can be planted later is an alternative to killing trees. If that it not possible, opting for an artificial one would save a live tree, provide a reusable and realistic tree year after year and go a long way toward fire safety.

Public officials and corporate leaders could plant trees permanently for yearly decoration.

Here's hoping some enlightened president will put an end to the yearly slaughter of magnificent trees for display inside and outside the White House.

If the example starts at the top, perhaps the notion will take hold with others as well.

Amy White Berger Wyomissing

[tx_eggman]

Old growth virgin forests - by definition - have fewer trees per acre then far younger forests with many more smaller trees.

Correct ... in the world of lies, damn lies, and statistics ... I went for the 3rd one. It was the wholesale slaughter reference that sent me over the top.

[Cronos]

Ah dunno -- I disagree with the entire christmas TREE thing -- it's a pagan ritual and has nothing to do with TRUE Christmas -- the birth of Christ. We should not have christmas trees or Santa Claus dressed in Coca Cola colors (or indeed we shouldn't have Santa at all) -- these divert from the true meaning of Christmas -- Christ born on earth

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Dirt worsphiper.

[Pete'sWife]

I hear the tomatoes screaming every time I make a salad.

[MaxMax]

Oh, let the children have their fun. You did..

[lotusblos]

Every Christmas tree farm I've been to paints a line on the trunk of the tree. You're not to cut below the line so the tree can re-sprout and continue to grow. The tree does not die, it just goes through a major pruning.

[Terabitten]

Oh, the horror. There are more trees in North America now than there were when the Pilgrims landed.

I've heard this before... do you have a source? I believe you, I've just never seen an actual source for that statement.

[Charles Martel]

I can also hear the grass cry when I walk on it. /sarcasm

There used to be a website that some guy set up specifically to tweak PETA. I believe the organization was named "PETVA" (People for the Ethical Treatment of Vegetables Also)

As for the grass, well, I always associate the bagging attachment on my Lawn-Boy with the "Bring Out Your Dead" Monty Python skit.

[Russ]

No, it really isn't a pagan ritual and has everything to do with Christianity and Christmas. Legend has it that St. Boniface, in the 7th century, used the triangular shape of a fir tree to describe the Holy Trinity.

Martin Luther is said to have decorated the first Christmas tree with candles for his children. It really gained popularity in the mid sixteen hundreds in Germany and then spread to England.

As a Christian, I know the meaning of Christmas but I can still enjoy the trimmings that come with it.

[Ksnavely]

Man if he thinks cutting down trees is wholesale slaughter, what would he call a combine mercilessly butchering corn. This harvest Holocaust occurs every year!! Oh the humanity, the poor corn!!! (I know there not trees but hey they are all plants right?)...just thought this would help put things in perspective.

[Publius6961]

Environmental Nut alert!

I am so glad that I decided to create a "NUTJOB" folder for articles like this one. It doesn't even qualify for the ENVIRONMENTAL folder.

[Publius6961]

Don't they realize that these trees are grown ONLY for this purpose, to be cut down and sold at Christmas? Dingbat.

You insensitive perverted sadist!

Did you miss the part about the "death throes"?
< /sarcasm >

[Cogadh na Sith]

I'll have a White Berger with ketchup, please....

[Revolting cat!]

What a callous set of responses to a sensitive letter from a concerned citizen! Me, I cry every time I cut an onion!

[BJungNan]

What a nut. And uniformed.

If people did not use live trees in their homes, there would be less Christmas trees and not more.

What paper is it, I feel a letter to the editor coming on.

[Ksnavely]

blah blah blah pagan ritual blah blah blah...if you don't like it don't use it, I personally like the Christmas tree to me it represents eternal life (because they are evergreen get it) but if you want to take the holier then though route be my guest. And Santa Claus, since when is having a figure that encourages good behavior and gift giving and jolliness a bad thing, I think our society needs more figureheads like Santa.

[Publius6961]

"Old growth Virgin Forests" is just another phrase invented to reasonable and to "sound" sane. Sort of like "death throes".

[Cronos]

I'm sorry, but the idea of a fir tree in the house on winter solstice is taken from Nordic legends as is the yule tide log

[Lazamataz]

Find alternative to cutting down trees

Okay.

How's pushin' them over with bulldozers work for you?

[Lazamataz]

I hear the tomatoes screaming every time I make a salad.

I, on the other hand, stopped doing acid back in the 1980's.