What happens to unsold Christmas trees? One Central Coast family business is witnessing an uptick in unsold trees that are now destined for the chipper.
“It seems kind of sad...The poor little forlorn trees, you know, they don't have a home,” Dennis Hopper, owner of Hopper Family Christmas Trees said.
This year, a couple hundred trees stand as the unsold remnants, marking a trend for Dennis Hopper, who has seen a decline in the tradition of bringing home a real tree.
“A lower percentage of households even put up a tree or commercial business," Hopper said. "These are all fake trees pretty much now. “
This reflects what the U.S. is also seeing. A survey from the American Christmas Tree Association, found 77% of Americans are opting for artificial Christmas trees.
“It's just easier and better, you can shape the tree whatever way you want to. And me and my dad are both allergic to trees," Reese Garett, who lives in San Luis Obispo said.
As a married couple and business partners, Dennis and Joni Hopper have witnessed a decline in tree sales since their peak in 1999, leaving many trees behind and ultimately destined for the chipper.
“It's kind of sad to think of all of the trees that nobody wanted going to waste,” Sarah Perry who lives in San Luis Obispo said.
“It’s sad because it costs you a lot more money to get rid of them after you've already invested a lot of money into them just to get them here,” Joni Hopper says.
While it may seem sad to some, chipping is a sustainable choice. The chips transform into mulch or compost material, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to filling up landfills.
“They're a much better product and it can be chipped, it can be recycled, and it goes back to the earth and decomposes where you end up with lots of toxic material, all in the fake trees,“ said Joni.
As for these leftover trees, they tell me one will find a second chance to bring joy as part of a postponed holiday celebration during their family's annual Christmas gathering in January.
For information on how you can dispose of your Christmas tree click here.
