Oh Christmas Tree

Which is the greenest tree of all?

Some would call it a great debate in the eco-friendly Christmas season. What kind of tree is better for the environment, real or fake? Here are some tips to help you decide, and a few other options that you may not have thought of.

The Fake Tree - Pros & Cons

As an environmentalist, you may feel queasy about going out and chopping down a tree every year for the sake of ambiance. A lot of people go for the plastic tree option because of its re-usability. This is the main benefit of the plastic tree. Not only can you use it year after year, but it only needs to be manufactured and shipped once, rather than every single year.

Bearing that in mind, the manufacture and shipping of millions of plastic trees has a huge impact on the environment. While it’s true that you only have to buy one, it still has to go through the polluting processes of all other plastic items. And while you only have to buy one, that one will eventually wear out. When that happens, your plastic tree is likely to go straight to the landfil, as they’re not recyclable. Depending on where it’s made, the plastic tree may also contain traces of lead.

The Real Tree - Pros & Cons

Real Christmas trees are raised on farms now, which means that harvesting them doesn’t result in deforestation. These farms also provide cover and habitats for small animals for the 8 - 12 years that it takes the trees to grow. The other good news is that unlike their plastic counterparts, real trees are completely bio degradable and can be turned into useful compost or mulch for your garden.

Real trees are not without their problems for the environment. Tree farms often use pesticides. It also takes a lot of fuel to run the farms. The trees need to be shipped all over the country, and they cannot be reused year after year. Discarded christmas trees may also be left with shreds of tinsel, or forgotten decorations, which can end up in landfils, or even in our gardens.

What’s the solution?

My preferred method is the live tree. Every year, Justin and I buy a potted christmas tree, which we then plant in the yard somewhere after the Christmas festivities have ended. The only drawback here is that the potted trees cannot be very big. If the tree is too big, its root ball won’t be young enough to take hold when its planted outdoors. However, this is a small price to pay! Look at it this way: Every year, you’re giving the earth a present by planting her a tree. Groovy Green has some great tips on choosing, and caring for live Christmas trees.

If you prefer the bigger, cut tree, there are things you can do to make your purchase as green as possible. Make sure that you dispose of your tree properly. Landfils aren’t the best place for your christmas tree. You may be able to find someone who can chip it up, and turn it into mulch for your garden.