Sustainable Roots
Shop local
Rooted only serve a local community as transporting and disposing of cut trees has the greatest impact on the planet. The Carbon Trust says a 2m-tall cut Christmas tree that ends up in landfill has a carbon footprint of 16kg.
A recycled tree produces about 3.5kg. Meanwhile, a 2m-tall artificial tree has a carbon footprint of about 40kg.
That is why Rooted started a Christmas tree hiring service.
The first step to an environmentally friendly tree is to hire a local tree. Rooted’s saplings are bought from a Yorkshire specialist Christmas Tree wholesaler less than 20 miles away and then planted on the moors above Todmorden. The closer the tree is grown to both where it’s bought and where the customer lives, the better, limiting the carbon footprint. Rooted only sell to customers who are in the local area supporting the “Shop Local” movement and avoiding large transporting issues that would counter the environmental benefits.
No waste
Many Councils will pick up real trees as green waste and send them for incineration or for shredding to make compost. And although Calderdale Council does its best to recycle, the waste is still a problem. The government estimates that the nation’s dumped Christmas trees generate 160,000 tonnes of waste every year. Not only is this a tremendous waste of resources, but the cost of disposal is an estimated £14 million to send faded firs and sad spruces to landfill. Plus, as they rot down, the trees release harmful greenhouse gases.
Hiring a tree helps virtually cancel out this problem.
In the New Year, the trees come back to Rooted looking just as happy as the day they left. Instead of being discarded on the side of the road or dumped at the tip to rot and emit carbon, they have years ahead of them. Rooted is green for life, not just for Christmas. In future when the trees out grow their pots and need to be planted on, Rooted will plant the trees in the valley and support natural water management that helps reduce the risk of flooding in the Calder Valley.
So all Rooted trees will live on in Calderdale forever.
Rooted trees are forever green.
Happy trees for a happy valley
Living Christmas trees recycle carbon dioxide and turn it into fresh oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife and many species of birds. Rooted’s Christmas tree farm provides nesting sites for small birds, hover flies and bats feed on the aphids that live on the trees. Norway Spruce also attract butterflies and moths amongst other insects supporting a healthy wildlife ecosystem. Rooted have happy trees for a happy valley.
Minimal pesticides are also used, although some are needed to protect the trees from aphids but where possible Rooted use natural and organic methods like neem oil and attract natural aphid predators such as birds and bats.
Rooted harvest rainwater for natural irrigation and ensure all trees are cared for throughout the year, so they look their best for Christmas.
Rooted aim to reclaim and re-use 100%. Any thinning’s, cuttings or dead trees are chipped and used as mulch to help retain water, suppress weeds and return nutrients back to the soil. Rooted also use offcuts for wreaths and pine needles from trimmings for our candles, amongst other Rooted by-products.
Reuse, recycle, reduce & rewild
Rooted trees are grown on a chemical free weed control fabric that allows air, water and nutrients to pass through allowing the soil and tree roots to breathe whilst keeping weeds at bay. Rooted trees re-use pots and only buy recycled pots. Our trees in their pots are lifted out of the ground, hired and then replanted back after Christmas to be cared for all year round for future generations to enjoy.
As Rooted trees grow they are transplanted into larger pots and our pots are re-used year on year as the trees grow. Rooted pots are made by Elho who specialise in recycled pots and we chose a pot that supports easy watering when in your home. Our pots are:
Made with recycled plastic, made by wind energy and are 100% recyclable
Rooted pots comes with an integrated water reservoir, so your tree won’t go thirsty whilst in your home at Christmas
The pot is frost-resistant and suitable to be in or outdoors
Hiring a pot-grown Christmas tree has other advantages for the environment – it is less resource-intensive than growing them on land because Rooted give each pot-grown tree the right amount of everything it needs from fertiliser, water and care. Conventional cut tree farming often use heavy machinery to spray across a large area resulting in waste. Rooted adopt a more hands on, bespoke approach therefore putting the minimal amount straight into the pot, for each tree.
Rooted reduce waste, recycle and up-cycle as much as they can.
Green for life… not just for Christmas
happy and healthy, Yorkshire grown Norway spruce trees. From saplings up to 8 foot beauties….
Trees are then put back into the wild after their festive holiday… ready for next year.
