While I recognize that there are many traditions and faiths celebrated during the winter holiday season, for the sake of this blog post I'm going to stick to just one aspect of one tradition that I have recently done some research on. It's my hope that for individuals reading this blog they will take home the lesson of buying locally and sustainably.

It's always hard to believe a couple of things about the winter holiday season: 1) that it's already here! and 2) that it can be sustainable, no matter how materialistic it has grown to be.

For starters, the Christmas tree. I mean as an environmentalist in today's day and age, could it get any worse? You cut down a tree to put in your house for a month and promptly throw it to the curb. Yikes!

Lo and behold, after some digging and internet browsing I've found a few sustainable options. Of course, the most obvious one is don't get one, or make one from recycled goods in your home. But, for my husband and I a Christmas tree is part of your familys' tradition. So, before heading to a grocery store to pick one out and drag home, I did a little research.

First, I checked out the resources that PestED sent me via email - all great, sustainably and organically grown trees. However, all of the farms were so far away (in western NC) and only one delivered. Thanks PestED! - I'm saving these links to my internet favorites for next year.

So I continued my hunt - I figured if I'm going to kill a tree for the sake of the season, it should at least be from somewhere fairly local. So, I checked out the State Farmer's Market and after a few clicks found Wagoner's Christmas Trees in Raleigh - all of their trees and greenery are straight from Ashe County, NC. Not to mention they are some of the nicest folks I've ever met!

Of course I had already bought a sustainably grown wreath from Student Action with Farmworkers - part of their yearly fundraising plan. Their wreath fundraiser is over now, but this is definitely a must for next year (order before Thanksgiving).

In addition, I've recently tried convincing my husband to let me plant a Christmas tree each year in the yard so that in roughly ten years time all we'll have to do is walk into the backyard to pick out our tree. Although, even better yet would be to buy a living Christmas tree that we can plant after the season is over.