San Jose Group Offers Environmentally-Friendly Living Christmas Tree Rentals
SAN JOSE (KCBS)— If you're still looking for a Christmas tree for the holidays, here's an idea: rent one. A San Jose group is offering potted trees to people concerned about the environment.
Usually when it comes to Christmas trees, your options are limited to a cut real tree or plastic. This idea combines the live tree elements with the convenience of something that is eco-friendly and temporary.
"They're living trees so they'll be in the resident's home for 30 days. We'll deliver them or the resident will pick them up. After the tree is returned to us, they'll eventually be planted locally," said Ben Heistein, an arborist with Our City Forest in San Jose.
The group is encouraging people to rent their trees as part of a fundraiser. Demand has been strong from folks who don't want to cut down a tree or buy a plastic one.
Heistein said the plastic ones are popular but problematic.
"We have all these issues with where that plastic ends up in the environment."
The trees range from cedars to redwoods and even Carolina cherries, and they cost $25 to $95 dollars depending on size.