thank you

Sorry I’m late for the discussion. While I agree with your commets on the use of pesticides in organic farms, I disagree with your statement that a local product is not better than a trucked/shipped product. It seems you took you statements out of context. A locally produced product is ALWAYS a better alternative than one that requires a greater consumption of energy to fullfill the same need. If you could buy localy grown bananas, that would be a better (environmental and economic) purchase than bananas shipped from overseas. If you can’t buy a localy grown banana, nobody’s telling you not to eat bananas.

Brad Rhodes, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP

One does not need any type of degree in order to be able to read books/articles/studies, develop conclusions, and form opinions. I do not believe that one needs to be considered an expert in a certain field in order to comment. If that were the case, then no one would have any opinions/comments at all, except for those in a very narrow academic field in which they studied. Think about it this way…

Most people I know comment on politics; however, they do not have a degree in political science. Does this mean they should keep their opinions to themselves unless they go out and earn a political science degree?

Now, you may be right that Rick has an axe to grind. Or you may be wrong. It is our job as readers to determine how credible the information is before we decide whether or not to believe it. If nothing else, it hopefully makes people want to learn more and do some research of their own. Does the fact that Rick works for the National Christmas Tree Association mean he has a biased opinion? Sure. On the other hand, there is bias everywhere. We all have some level of bias on different issues. Furthermore, I would expect that most people are biased in favor of whatever field in which they work.

It is not our job to say who is or is not qualified to comment on issues. That being said, I would rather read a comment that is based on some research or personal experience than one that is not. In this case, Rick has provided the title of a book to read, which I think is helpful.

One last thing…

It seems to me that when it comes to environmental issues (fake vs. real trees, organic farming, climate change, carbon footprints, etc.) and health issues (heart health, risks associated with smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, etc.); one can always find experts on both sides of the issue at hand. It is hard to know what to believe. Some experts say that climate change is real, others say it is not. Some experts say that everyone should have one glass of red wine each day; other experts say this is not the case.

Don’t even get me started on how statistics from raw data can be manipulated to support whatever opinion the researcher/newspaper columnist/special interest group wants to support…

Happy New Year!

Sounds like you have an axe to grind with organic farming. You might need a chemistry degree, or something to make you an expert in the field, before you go spouting off about that.

You might want to stick to giving advise about Christmas trees.

However, I find it intriguing that Dr. Springer informs your readers that buying a tree from an “organic” tree farm is a better choice than a tree grown on any other tree farm. I’ve been looking into this issue since consumers ask us about it sometimes and based on the legitimate scientific research out there, no evidence exists to suggest that his assertion is correct. Do you know of any scientific research showing that organic trees are better somehow than non-organic ones? I recently read a fascinating book as part of my research called The Truth About Organic Foods by Alex Avery.

http://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-Organic-Foods/dp/0978895207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228415670&sr=1-1

One of the most enlightening things I learned was that the common belief that organic farms don’t use pesticides is utterly and completely untrue. Copper Sulfate, Nicotine Sulfate, Bt, pyrethrum, Spinosad…the list of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides approved for use by the National Organic Standards Board reads like a toxicology report. Yet, curiously, I never see any mention of these pesticides in mainstream articles blithely telling readers that organic agricultural products are better for the environment. I think you and experts like Dr. Springer owe it to your readers to tell them that organic farms do indeed use pesticides, they just come from different sources. But they are just as poisonous as man-made chemicals, and in some cases, much more toxic. And in many cases, the application rates of organic approved pesticides is much higher because they are not as effective at eliminating pests. So the environmental burden can actually be higher.

I also have a philosophical dilemma with his assertion that buying a tree from a local farm only is a good environmental choice. Would he suggest the same thing about all agricultural products? I mean, here in the Midwest, if I want a banana or an orange or many other farm-products, I have to get them from a long way away. Is this a bad environmental choice? Should I only eat peanuts if I live in Georgia? Should I only eat blueberries if I live in Maine or Michigan? Should I only wear cotton T-shirts if I live in Alabama or Mississippi? Personally, I’m glad I live in a country where I can buy agricultural products from all over the country (and even some imported) all year long. I don’t think that’s bad for the environment, I think it’s good for people.

To be clear, buying a Christmas tree from a local farm or even an organic farm are perfectly fine options. It’s not better or worse…just different. I just think it’s misleading to your readers to suggest that if they don’t do that, they are making a bad environmental choice.

Merry Christmas!

Rick Dungey
Public Relations Manager
National Christmas Tree Association