"Green" Christmas Tree?

[nagelbagel]

Ok - so I know Christmas is over and stuff, but I thought I'd ask while this is fresh on my mind. We try to be pretty environmentally concious in this house. We don't want a fake tree, because they contain polyvinyl chloride and lead. I'm on the fence about real trees - I understand there are some benefits, but I don't like how much pesticides and herbicides are used in the process. I realize I could buy a tree to plant, but since I don't own ACRES of land, I wouldn't have a place to put them after the first year or so!

So... just wondering if y'all have any alternative crafty ideas. I'm sorta thinking about making some kind of wire frame, and tying green fabric scraps on it or something. I would like something at least 5-6' tall, so it feels like a "real" tree - you know, something we can put presents under. This year we didn't have a tree at all, and I ended up not decorating anything because it just didn't feel right.

Anyway - all that blabbing to ask if anyone had any ideas or pictures they could show (yes, I searched and didn't find much). TIA!
Angi

[bastet]

my dream of a "green-Tree" is a large pyramide instead.
Like this one (unfortunately in German) but includes pictures.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihnachtspyramide

Thankfully my dad made me a pyramide-chandelier himself by wood-turning. It's great.

I had a wire-frame tree for years and it worked out quite well. I bought years ago. Only problem was: t was to small so I gave it away.

Another idea for a green tree is a fresian-tree. We use those for christmas and eastern. It looks like that:

http://www.creadoo.com/Content38167

and is pretty easy selfmade. Unfortunately this side is in German also but I figure you get an idea by looking at the picture.

[tamilyn]

I saw on one of the decorating shows over the holidays a cool idea. It was designed for a family with little storage space.

A telescoping hoop tree. (at least that's what I'd call it!)

It was made of concentric hoops, attached one to the other with ribbon. They collapsed for flat storage. A post was plastered into a pot and held the whole thing up through the center. The top smallest hoop at the top had ribbons that met in the middle allowing the post to create a "peak" at the top for the star! It actually was very cool looking when ornaments were hung from it. The one on the show had white lights attached to the hoops. But, you could handle the decorating however you wanted.

As for a potted tree that can be planted after the holidays are over....if you don't have space in your own yard to plant it, you could always donate it to a school, park, memorial garden....i'm sure there is someplace that would welcome a lovely tree! The recipient would benefit, the earth would benefit, and you would have the pleasure of remembering Christmas past each time you saw the tree and know you've done your part in being Green!

[PrincessJasmine]

Buy a  real tree that is still in the pot, and when Christmas is over if you can't find anyone to donate to, you can probably post an ad on freecycle to get someone to take it.

[Aislynn]

Buy a  real tree that is still in the pot, and when Christmas is over if you can't find anyone to donate to, you can probably post an ad on freecycle to get someone to take it.

This, too, would be my suggestion.  My stepmom does this, and it works out well.  She started a line of trees along her property line (scattering them, so they don't look funny--but still along the line).  However, she's given a few away, too.  And freecycle is awesome.  Be warned, though:  5-6' tall trees don't come in pots, generally; they've got big burlap sacks full of dirt, and their roots around them, and you may need to secure both a large pot, and a method of keeping the tree from tilting or tipping in it.  Upside: the sack is biodegradable, so as long as you cut it open, you can bury it with the tree.