Rubbish Tree 'Among World's Best', Say CNN

International acclaim for Council tree, locals not so sure

One local Councillor called it an "expensive gimmick", and many Ealing residents thought it was simply a load of old rubbish, yet the Christmas tree outside Ealing Council may just have proved the doubters wrong after it was named among the "world's most spectacular" festive trees by the CNN website.

Ealing's entry stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the list with a Malaysian 'tree' made from 400'000 Lego blocks, the Rockefeller Centre tree in New York ("turned on" this year by Mariah Carey) and even President Barack Obama's very own Christmas tree, stationed outside the White House.

Made from 900 recycled plastic bottles by artist Ashley Phillips, the tree, which is placed in front of the Town Hall in Ealing, initially drew controversy when it was revealed to have cost nearly £13,000.

It's part of the council's recycling campaign designed to make people think more about waste and encourage recycling. CNN praised its "humble but still impressive origins", naming it a tree with a "serious message: that more waste is produced over the festive season than at any other time of year."

Ealing Town Hall's recycled tree has since been taken down, yet for better or for worse, it certainly brightened up this Christmas.

Joe Kelly

December 11, 2013