Friday, December 24, 2004

Feeding Frenzy

Just when I thought that artificial Christmas trees were a safer and hassle free alternative to purchasing a real Christmas tree the Toronto Star (registration required) reports this:
Two brands of artificial Christmas trees may be infested with a type of wood-eating insect, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned today. The trees, exported to Canada and the United States by China-based manufacturer Polytree Hong Kong, are sold under the brand name Dakota Alpine Christmas tree or Cascades Prelit Alpine Christmas tree, said agency spokesman Alain Charette. The trunks of the trees are made of natural wood from China that was "improperly treated," he said. In some cases, live bugs were found in trees exported to the United States. The brown fir longhorned beetle, which munches on evergreens in China, would have no natural predator in Canada and could cause "extensive damage," Charette said.

Solution: Shop Canadian

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