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However, whilst a real tree is undeniably green in colour, it may not be so green ethically. Many of the trees on sale are farmed on an industrial scale abroad and have often been sprayed with strong fertilizers and herbicides to ensure quick and strong growth. Add to this the fact that much of the seed used to grow our Christmas trees is harvested in Georgia by poorly paid workers and it’s easy to see why buying a natural tree is not necessarily an eco friendly option.

So what’s the solution?  First, the Soil Association provide lists of retailers who sell organic trees or you can buy from a grower approved by the Forest Stewardship Council. Those of you who live in the country will probably already know where to get a locally grown tree (thus avoiding the tree equivalent of food miles), but in Central London, the problem is more difficult but not insurmountable.

The Christmas Forest  operate in 8 London locations (a map of these is available here). Not only are their trees mainly sourced in the UK, but for every tree sold they make a donation to Tree Aid which plants trees in Ethiopia as part of the Forests for Food Project. Or you could chose to help the charity Tomorrow’s People which provides employment to the marginalized or excluded who would otherwise find themselves on Benefits. They have three pick up points in London (Kennington, Fulham and Sydenham Park) , and they also offer a home delivery service within the London boroughs on the 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 10th December. If you want to be sure of buying a home grown tree, then Fairwind’s trees are another great choice. They only use ethically sourced seed and will also deliver to your door.

However, being eco friendly with your tree doesn’t stop with the purchase.  Every year we throw away 6 million real trees after Christmas which produces a great deal of waste. Many local councils remove and recycle these trees, however if yours doesn’t you might like to think about taking it to a local recycling centre where it can be turned into mulch for your garden. You can find your local recycling centre here by typing in your postcode.

If you have the space to house it during the year, another alternative is to buy a living tree in a pot. This is also a great way to avoid the dreaded ‘needle drop’ but you will need to remember to water it copiously once it is inside in centrally heated conditions.

Although creating your own tree out of recycled materials may not be to everyone’s taste and won’t appeal to purists, the results can be spectacular and stylish. Why not fashion a tree from empty green bottles or from shredded recycled paper? Here are some fantastic examples of what can be achieved with a little imagination or if you are feeling a little less ambitious you could try just making a miniature recycled paper tree as shown in the video above! Trees made this way can look amazing and you can also use it as an opportunity to teach your children more about looking after the planet.

Whatever tree you decide on, you can also do your bit for the environment with your choice of decorations. Buying a whole new set of decorations every year is obviously not very responsible – and there is something lovely about building up some kind of ‘heritage’ for your family. Why not let your children each chose one new decoration each year rather than starting from scratch? Even better, make your own. Hand made gingerbread or cinnamon cookies can look fabulous tied with gingham ribbon (for recipes click here or here). You can even buy edible gold and silver spray if you want a bit of sparkle. It’s too late for this year, but why not put all your sweet and chocolate wrappers (Quality Street are particularly good for this!) into a box and then use them to make decorations next Christmas. Another idea is to scour junk and antique shops for old bits of chandelier. Because they are made from crystal, they sparkle beautifully and look amazing hung from large wired bows. Popcorn threaded onto cotton instead of tinsel can also give you a real ‘Little House on the Prairie’ feel, as can a few cinnamon sticks tied together with ribbon. If you really must buy new then at least make sure that you buy fair trade decorations.