今年租一棵圣誕樹(shù)怎么樣?

今年租一棵圣誕樹(shù)怎么樣?

Would you rent a live Christmas tree instead of buying one that had already been chopped down?

你會(huì)去租一棵活的圣誕樹(shù)，而不是買(mǎi)一棵已經(jīng)被砍倒的圣誕樹(shù)嗎?

You can rent a Christmas tree, but the trick is that you have to keep it alive during the holiday season. (Photo: Chamille White/Shutterstock)

Cut trees are currently the most popular Christmas choice in the country. At least 33 million Christmas trees are grown, cut down and sold every year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Even though these trees are used for only one season, they are a much more environmentally friendly choice than artificial trees, many of which are made from non-recyclable materials and are usually imported from China, according to Earth 911.

在這個(gè)國(guó)家，砍樹(shù)是目前最受歡迎的圣誕節(jié)選擇。根據(jù)美國(guó)環(huán)境保護(hù)署的數(shù)據(jù)，每年至少有3300萬(wàn)棵圣誕樹(shù)被種植、砍伐和出售。據(jù)“地球911”報(bào)道，盡管這些樹(shù)只被使用一個(gè)季節(jié)，但它們比人造樹(shù)更環(huán)保。人造樹(shù)大多由不可回收材料制成，通常從中國(guó)進(jìn)口。

But a rented tree could be an even greener alternative. How does it work? Local companies grow their trees in nurseries. The live trees are then placed in pots and delivered to customers, sometimes complete with decorations, for the holiday season. Customers care for the trees while they're at home, making sure the trees are watered and healthy. At the end of the season, the trees are returned and continue to grow for another year. After about seven years, when the trees are too large for rental, they are planted in the ground.

但租一棵樹(shù)可能是一個(gè)更環(huán)保的選擇。它是如何進(jìn)行的?當(dāng)?shù)氐墓驹诿缙岳锓N樹(shù)。然后，這些活樹(shù)被放在花盆里，送到顧客手中，有時(shí)還會(huì)加上裝飾品，以備節(jié)日之用。顧客在家的時(shí)候會(huì)照顧這些樹(shù)，確保這些樹(shù)被澆過(guò)水，而且是健康的。在這個(gè)季節(jié)結(jié)束的時(shí)候，這些樹(shù)會(huì)重新生長(zhǎng)，并繼續(xù)生長(zhǎng)一年。大約七年后，當(dāng)樹(shù)木太大而租不來(lái)時(shí)，就把它們種在地里。

Under the rental scenario, trees need to be transported back and forth from their nurseries, so all of the companies currently offering tree rentals have fairly small service areas. California-based Rent a Living Christmas Tree deals with customers in the San Francisco South Bay, Santa Cruz, Monterey Peninsula and Salinas areas. One of the company's customers, Susan Draper of Carmel, recently praised the idea: "It's good for nature," she told the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "You don't cut down a tree that will die."

在租賃的情況下，樹(shù)木需要從苗圃來(lái)回運(yùn)輸，所以目前所有提供樹(shù)木租賃的公司都有相當(dāng)小的服務(wù)區(qū)域?？偛课挥诩又莸腞ent a Living圣誕樹(shù)公司的客戶來(lái)自舊金山南灣、圣克魯斯、蒙特雷半島和薩利納斯地區(qū)。該公司的客戶之一、來(lái)自卡梅爾的蘇珊·德雷珀最近稱贊了這個(gè)想法:“這對(duì)大自然有好處，”她告訴《圣克魯茲哨兵報(bào)》。“你不會(huì)砍掉一棵會(huì)死的樹(shù)。”

Tree rental from the company, which started in 2009, isn't always the cheapest alternative. A 7-foot Nordmann fir costs $175 from Rent a Living Tree, where the smallest trees start at $35 plus delivery.

從這家2009年成立的公司租樹(shù)并不總是最便宜的選擇。一棵7英尺高的諾德曼冷杉樹(shù)的租金是175美元，而最小的樹(shù)的起價(jià)是35美元，外加運(yùn)費(fèi)。

At Oregon's The Original Potted Christmas Tree Company, which operates in the Portland and Eugene area, trees are $95. They are picked up after the first of the year and planted in a watershed. The company points out that there are many advantages to the potted trees. For one thing, potted trees are harder for pets to knock over. Live trees are also less of a fire hazard than cut trees, which can dry out quickly. They also clean the air and emit oxygen while they're in your home.

在俄勒岡州波特蘭和尤金地區(qū)經(jīng)營(yíng)的“原創(chuàng)盆栽圣誕樹(shù)公司”，圣誕樹(shù)售價(jià)95美元。它們?cè)谝荒甑牡谝惶毂徊烧⒎N植在分水嶺上。該公司指出盆栽樹(shù)有很多優(yōu)點(diǎn)。首先，盆栽樹(shù)很難被寵物撞倒?；畹臉?shù)也比砍下來(lái)的樹(shù)更少火災(zāi)危險(xiǎn)，因?yàn)榭诚聛?lái)的樹(shù)很快就會(huì)干枯。當(dāng)它們?cè)谀慵依锏臅r(shí)候，它們也會(huì)清潔空氣并釋放氧氣。

If you're still balking at the cost, some nonprofits are getting into the tree-rental act. Each year the Adopt a Stream Foundation in Everett, Washington, sells small potted trees. After the season is over, the trees can be returned to be planted along a local salmon stream to provide shade and prevent erosion.

如果你還在為成本發(fā)愁，一些非營(yíng)利組織已經(jīng)加入了樹(shù)木租賃的行列。華盛頓埃弗雷特的“收養(yǎng)溪流基金會(huì)”每年都會(huì)出售盆栽小樹(shù)。在季節(jié)結(jié)束后，這些樹(shù)可以重新種植在當(dāng)?shù)氐孽q魚(yú)溪流旁，提供樹(shù)蔭，防止水土流失。

Tree rental isn't available everywhere, but who knows what the future holds?

并不是所有地方都能租到樹(shù)，但誰(shuí)知道未來(lái)會(huì)怎樣呢?