These numbers tell the extra burden on the environment during the christmas period. Is it really worth it? 8 million trees, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic, general waste, food waste, millions of cans, bottles, cards and trees - is it really worth it?

It's not just the environmental cost of waste. It's the cost of manufacture as well.

Whatever the justification. Plastic tree's pollution imprint is understandable. But can you justify chopping a seven year old tree just to put it in your display case for one day?

All I say is this. Eat frugal, eat veg, don't waste money on unnecessary stuff. If not christmas card, the shopkeeper will sell something else. But, remember, we have only one earth. One day's revelry or one man's job is nothing before the earth which is the only thing we have.

This is the cheapest christmas trees available at Walmart. Just think how many poor can a tree feed.