今年租一棵圣誕樹怎么樣?

今年租一棵圣誕樹怎么樣?

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

你會去租一棵活的圣誕樹，而不是買一棵已經(jīng)被砍倒的圣誕樹嗎?

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.

在這個國家，砍樹是目前最受歡迎的圣誕節(jié)選擇。根據(jù)美國環(huán)境保護署的數(shù)據(jù)，每年至少有3300萬棵圣誕樹被種植、砍伐和出售。據(jù)“地球911”報道，盡管這些樹只被使用一個季節(jié)，但它們比人造樹更環(huán)保。人造樹大多由不可回收材料制成，通常從中國進口。

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.

但租一棵樹可能是一個更環(huán)保的選擇。它是如何進行的?當?shù)氐墓驹诿缙岳锓N樹。然后，這些活樹被放在花盆里，送到顧客手中，有時還會加上裝飾品，以備節(jié)日之用。顧客在家的時候會照顧這些樹，確保這些樹被澆過水，而且是健康的。在這個季節(jié)結(jié)束的時候，這些樹會重新生長，并繼續(xù)生長一年。大約七年后，當樹木太大而租不來時，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，樹木需要從苗圃來回運輸，所以目前所有提供樹木租賃的公司都有相當小的服務(wù)區(qū)域?？偛课挥诩又莸腞ent a Living圣誕樹公司的客戶來自舊金山南灣、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、來自卡梅爾的蘇珊·德雷珀最近稱贊了這個想法:“這對大自然有好處，”她告訴《圣克魯茲哨兵報》。“你不會砍掉一棵會死的樹。”

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年成立的公司租樹并不總是最便宜的選擇。一棵7英尺高的諾德曼冷杉樹的租金是175美元，而最小的樹的起價是35美元，外加運費。

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)營的“原創(chuàng)盆栽圣誕樹公司”，圣誕樹售價95美元。它們在一年的第一天被采摘并種植在分水嶺上。該公司指出盆栽樹有很多優(yōu)點。首先，盆栽樹很難被寵物撞倒。活的樹也比砍下來的樹更少火災(zāi)危險，因為砍下來的樹很快就會干枯。當它們在你家里的時候，它們也會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，一些非營利組織已經(jīng)加入了樹木租賃的行列。華盛頓埃弗雷特的“收養(yǎng)溪流基金會”每年都會出售盆栽小樹。在季節(jié)結(jié)束后，這些樹可以重新種植在當?shù)氐孽q魚溪流旁，提供樹蔭，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，但誰知道未來會怎樣呢?