Holiday trees - to cut or not to cut?

Ten years ago, even two years ago I would never have considered cutting down a tree to use as a decoration in my home. Lately there have been the "carbon footprint" debates about what to do if you want a tree to decorate for the holidays. After much deliberation, I have come to the decision that a live tree is right for me. I definitely do not want a plastic tree or even to support that industry. So I've realized, just as I promote supporting local farmers for fruits and veggies, I want to support local farmers that are growing a renewable source - trees. These folks are sustainably growing different types of conifers and replanting three saplings for every one that is harvested. More importantly, we need to be mindful of what we do with our cut tree after the holidays. Last year our family used some of the wood for burning in our outdoor stove and the rest we have in a far back corner of our yard providing a home for small critters while it slowly decomposes. So, what's next? Next year, I want to take this all a bit further and buy a living tree that we can plant when the holidays are over.