Inn decides a tree is for life and not just for Christmas (From Dorset Echo)

Inn decides a tree is for life and not just for Christmas

7:21am Thursday 4th December 2008 in News

‘TIS the season to be jolly – and to be green.

As Weymouth restaurateur Lorraine D’Agostino has discovered, Christmas decorations can be environmentally friendly.

This year she has rented two ‘live’ Norway spruces for the Riverhouse Inn at Upwey.

Mrs D’Agostino got the idea from one of her customers who runs TreesforRent.com based at Charminster near Dorchester.

Because the trees have a healthy live root system they will survive indoors and with correct watering can be used again and again.

It helps to prevent the annual harvest of Christmas trees, many which end up in landfill after use.

Trees which are returned are looked after by experts who feed them a seaweed supplement to maintain good health.

Mrs D’Agostino said: “We have one tree in the porch and another in the garden. They’re great because they’re environmentally friendly.

“Apart from doing our bit to reduce our carbon footprint, there is the added bonus that the needle drop is minimal.

“If we want to rent the same trees next year we’ll let Trees for Rent know and they will be kept and labelled for us.”