Shop any home improvement or department store, and it’s easy to see that fake, pre-lit Christmas trees are more popular than ever. Many people wait until after Christmas each year to buy their plastic version of the holiday tree and drag it down from the attic every year. For many, this has become a ‘green decision’—a way to avoid being part of the major movement of cutting down trees needlessly, only to throw them away after the holiday is over. This debate, along with others like whether cloth diapers are better for the environment than disposable ones, has become quite heated.
The problem is that people often find themselves on one side of the fence, unable to let go of their strong feelings about the matter. This powerful emotion can also lead to confusion for others who simply want to make the right decision. But comparing live trees to fake ones is unnecessary—especially if your concerns are environmental. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the debate should be over because their research supports real Christmas trees as the more environmentally friendly option.
The Benefits of Live Christmas Trees
As a consumer, it’s important to adopt a “live and let live” approach to the Christmas tree debate. Every family does things in their own way, and they shouldn’t be chastised for doing so—especially at Christmas time!
Here are just a few reasons why purchasing a live tree for your holiday decorating is such a good idea:
- Live trees are grown on reputable and sustainable farms in the United States and Canada, while around 85% of fake Christmas trees are made in China. Considering the fact that the US and Canada purchase more trees than any other country in the world, it only makes sense that we should capitalize on our own purchases.
- Real trees are produced through farming, which is environmentally friendly, compared to factory manufacturing, which produces harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
- Each year, around 45 million trees are planted in the United States and Canada alone as part of Christmas tree production. Additionally, the Christmas tree industry ensures that around 500 million trees are growing safely and sustainably annually.
- Live trees support the ecosystem. The trees grown for Christmas help sustain the environment, whereas the factories that produce fake trees harm it.
- One significant advantage of live Christmas trees is that they are 100% biodegradable, whereas fake trees—made of plastics and metals (often including PVC)—are not. Fake trees also often contain lead, making them a potential health hazard in the home.
- Fake trees, which you might think are saving the universe, are actually a petroleum by-product, meaning they are not carbon-neutral. Live trees, on the other hand, absorb carbon dioxide and release essential nutrients into the soil when they decompose.
- While some farmers use pesticides to keep trees healthy, scientists have found that runoff from the production of fake trees is 90 times worse than the chemicals used on live tree farms. In fact, a 2010 panel of scientists tested nearly 5,000 trees harvested in the US and Canada and found no trace of chemicals on the trees. On the other hand, your plastic tree releases dioxins into your home, which have been found to be among the most dangerous cancer-causing compounds known to humans and animals.
Additionally, disposing of your live Christmas tree is not harmful to the environment. When you trade in your plastic tree, however, it will never fully decompose. Research shows that fake trees stay in landfills indefinitely. Meanwhile, your decomposing tree supports animal life and releases valuable nutrients back into the soil.
Christmas tree farms are a renewable resource. Not only do farmers replant trees annually, but their farming techniques also enrich the soil. Unfortunately, manufacturers of plastic, petroleum-based trees are not using a renewable resource.
If you’re still unsure and worried that purchasing a live tree this season could be an environmentally negligent decision, you should know that it won’t be! In fact, research has repeatedly proven that when it comes to your Christmas tree, the healthy and smart choice is a live one.
Plus, be honest—nothing can put you in the holiday mood more than the smell of pine sap in your home. Would you rather your children inhale the fresh scent of a recently cut tree, or the dioxins from your plastic masterpiece? And if you’re truly concerned, consider purchasing a potted Christmas tree that you can plant in your yard after the holidays.
