Approximately 8 to 10 million Christmas trees are sold per year in the UK
Kicking off the new year with an exciting and engaging project, LUAP, WappArt&Music and Niya Ruseva are here to present Trees Are For Life, Not Just For Christmas. The installation presents a dying forest in a concrete unit, which addresses the environmental impact of the commercial practice of buying Christmas trees, while emphasising the importance of our connection to nature and what we can do to protect it.
LUAP has an ongoing history of addressing the environment we live in; his artworks, projects, and installations have always been celebrating nature and our relationship to it. Stemming from years and years of exploring this connection in relation to mental health as well, the artist has created an impressive portfolio which makes us think ‘who are we as humans and what are we doing to preserve the world we live in?’
The project Trees Are For Life, Not Just For Christmas consists of multiple Christmas trees which have been discarded after the winter holidays, and amongst them we will see the iconic Pink Bear displayed at WappArt from 17th January 2023 until 11th February 2023. The idea behind this collaboration is to emphasise how the practice of cutting down trees during the festive season affects the environment. Viewers will be able to witness the decaying process of the Christmas trees, which will raise awareness about the impact this practice has on our planet, calling for more sustainable approaches towards this global tradition.
In order to bring knowledge and understanding to the audiences, Trees Are For Life, Not Just For Christmas brings to the attention a few important fact about Christmas trees and proposes alternative approaches on how we can be better to our planet:
According to The British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA), approximately 8 to 10 million Christmas trees are sold per year in the UK.
Another estimation is that approximately 33 to 36 million Christmas trees are produced and harvested in the United States each year, with 50-60 million produced and cut in Europe.
BCTGA states that a natural two-metre Christmas tree without roots, disposed of into landfill generates a carbon footprint of around 16 kg of CO2. If the same sized tree is disposed of by planting it or having it chipped to spread on a garden, it will have a carbon footprint of around 3.5kg of CO2 – an impressive four and a half times less carbon footprint.
Bringing a Christmas tree back to life (if bought with the roots), or recycling it properly and repurposing the wood will make a big difference with time. Every small step and every action counts as we are working for a better future. That is why after Trees Are For Life, Not Just For Christmas wraps up, all trees will be responsibly recycled at designated centres. LUAP, WappArt and Ruseva are looking to bring together the art community in Wapping and Greater London together in order to unite around the cause of protecting what is most important - our planet.
Trees Are For Life, Not Just For Christmas calls for a collective effort in protecting our world, and emphasises the importance of nature in our life journeys.
