The Bare Tree

• The Problem 

During the Christmas period, around 200 million sheets of wrapping paper is  

dumped and polluting landfills¹², which often ends up in our natural water sources. Many individuals are oblivious to the water cost of Christmas and the water footprint associated with this season. The Christmas season is especially water-intensive with real christmas trees requiring 500ml daily, just to be chopped down for display and discarded after the season¹³. 

A Christmas tree with no gifts or decoration is a shocking sight for some. A barren tree is a symbol of need, and showcases without access to water, it is unable to grow and survive.  

• The Solution 

An educational campaign, The Bare Tree welcomed locally-crafted, sustainable wooden Christmas tree’s within the five Early Childhood Development Centres SOSNPO supports. The trees were decorated with proudly South African wooden ornaments, ‘trinkets of hope’ , with each trinket representing a physical gift for a child at the ECD centers. The educational component provided educational knowledge into the proper disposal of plastic waste, which may pollute valuable water sources. 

• The Outcome 

A heartwarming day of learning and gifting with ECD owners and children under 5. SOSNPO spread the joy of Christmas to underprivileged children, whilst leaving them with valuable water knowledge and water-saving practices over the Christmas period.