Holiday Greenery, Lights and Ornaments

Decking the halls is a feat of interior design that takes a good eye and a green thumb. Yet, the holiday spirit can be dampened by the knowledge that monocrop tree farms use pesticides such as glyphosate (Roundup), associated with chest pains and nausea in humans and deadly to many fish and beneficial insects. Other pesticides used include the organophosphates di-syston 15-G, which can cause convulsions and unconsciousness, and dimethoate, which can cause tremors and breathing difficulties. But it's not that you'll need to wear a face mask around your tree. "Many pesticides will have been removed from trees by rain and ultraviolet light by the time they are harvested," says Dr. Thomas Arcury, Ph.D., professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "However, some will remain and, in particular, one, the systemic pesticide di-syston 15-G, may be present in the tree." Luckily, there are better choices to keep this holiday season healthy, organic and even fair-trade friendly.

Wreaths
Darthia Farms has fresh, organic balsam fir wreaths decorated with pine cones, rose hips and a bow for $35. Add mantelpiece greens—organic balsam fir, pine and cedar ($25)—or a centerpiece with three candles ($35; www.meweb.net). For a different take, try McFadden Farm's organic three-herb wreath ($35) or their bay leaf wreath ($22.50), which provide holiday seasonings to your meals long after New Year's Day (www.mcfaddenfarm.com). Or pick Rogue Harbor Farm's certified organic Fraser fir wreaths (from $39; www.localharvest.org; 828-689-4586).

Trees
As for the tree, "the most sustainable thing is to be sure you put your dollars towards tree growers that you want to keep in business," says Aubrey Raper, co-owner of Rogue Harbor Farm, which sells organic trees, adding, "By all means cut the tree, enjoy the fragrance and when you're done with it put it in a fish pond to serve as an incubator for young fish." 

Alternatively, you can decorate houseplants or purchase a potted tree to plant outdoors after the holidays. Sloat Gardens' 11 locations in the San Francisco Bay Area sell potted organic trees ($39.75/1.5 to 3 ft. to $200/6.5 ft.; www.sloatgardens.com; they don't ship). The New Leaf greenhouse in the Bronx borough of New York City sells potted trees, the sales of which support the program's efforts to teach marketable workplace skills to former addicts (www.arguscommunity.org). Elsewhere, visit your farmers' market (see www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm) or check www.localharvest.org for nearby nurseries and organic tree farms. For proper care, see www.forestry.iastate.edu. In San Francisco and Portland, you can rent a tree that will be delivered to you, picked up after New Year's, and planted (in Portland, $60, www.livingchristmastrees.org; in San Francisco, see www.fuf.net for prices).

If you can't buy locally, try a 7-ft. Fraser ($89.95) or balsam fir ($79.95) from NorthlandSent Wreath Company, which applies Roundup only between rows (www.localharvest.org, 218-591-0632).

For other tree recycling tips besides the fish pond, see www.thegreenguide.com.

Lights
There are a variety of LED options that run on about a tenth of the energy of conventional lights and, since they produce no heat, don't present the fire risk of traditional bulbs. Forever Bright's traditional strawberry-shaped bulbs (from $14.95), round "razzberry" bulbs (from $12.95) and mini-icicles (from $14.95; www.christmas-treasures.com) are all festive choices. As with conventional lights, the plastic in some strings may include lead, so wash hands after use.

Decorations
Watch out for lead paint on some imported ornaments, which can flake off on hands and be ingested by kids. Instead, choose lead-free Fair Trade Federation (FTF)-certified options such as Crossroads Trades Cambodian silk stars ($7.75) or stuffed Himalayan snow lions ($9.50; www.crossroadstrade.com). Lucuma Design's adorable cat ($7.45) and bat ($10.25) lead-free gourd ornaments (www.lucuma.com) are FTF-certified. Also look for FTF-certified, olive wood nativity ornaments ($9) from the Mosleh Workshop on the West Bank and embroidered sun ornaments from Tara Projects in Delhi, India ($11; www.tenthousandvillages.com). Finally, pull the family together to make your own decorations from gingerbread cookies, cards, origami patterns, ribbons or that school favorite, the popcorn-and-cranberry garland.