Haifa, Israel’s third largest city, is celebrating this Christmas in an eco-friendly fashion by unveiling a new 38-foot Christmas tree (above and below) made entirely of recycled water bottles and other plastic objects donated by its residents and on display in the city’s center. Comprised of 5,480 recycled bottles and illuminated by energy-efficient LED lights, the “green” tree was created by Israeli designer Hadas Itzcovitch and her father, artist Ernest Itzcovitch, to raise awareness of environmental issues. It comes just in time for the 90,000 travelers from around the world expected to arrive in Israel for the holiday.

The tree represents the religious diversity of the city’s Jewish, Christian, Baha’i and Muslim residents, and serves as a reminder of the environmental impact of Carmel fires which recently devastated the area’s forests.

source: Israel Ministry of Tourism