I have thought about this question a lot over the years since, I do have to admit, I have always had an artificial Christmas tree. Due to having serious asthma when I was a kid, real Christmas trees were a problem, and so my family was eventually forced to purchase an artificial one that we used over the course of many years. As putting up the artificial tree became the tradition following Thanksgiving, I never had the experience of going out to cut down and purchase a real tree. If you are familiar with the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," you will likely remember the opening scene of the family searching for the perfect family Christmas tree. Unfortunately, this portrayal of a family going to the extreme to accomplish such a common task only discouraged me further from eventually getting a real tree.
So the question is whether an artificial or a real Christmas tree is better for the environment or whether it is better to just not buy one at all. As I am a big fan of Christmas decorations and traditions, I would never recommend not purchasing a Christmas tree of some form, but I would recommend trying to minimize the overall environmental impact. After doing some research on this, I found that the pros for one of these options definitely outweighs the cons. Let's first look at some of environmental impacts that can be attributed to the life cycle of an artificial tree.
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Artificial_Christmas_trees_2_2016-11-14.jpg
According to The Nature Conservancy, approximately 10 million artificial Christmas trees are purchased each year within the United States, a vast majority of which are shipped from China. The greenhouse gas emissions from shipping alone are significant as are the emissions created to obtain the materials required to manufacture the trees. Artificial trees are typically made from PVC plastic (#3), which helps to make them more fire-retardant; the issue is that this type of plastic is one of the most harmful for the environment.
Reasons PVC plastic (#3) is harmful for the environment.
PVC (#3) is one of the most difficult types of plastic to recycle, so much so that less than 1% ends up being recycled after use. Therefore, the landfill is the final resting place for nearly all artificial Christmas trees.
Almost all products made from PVC (#3) plastic are made from virgin material that requires extraction of raw materials from the Earth. It is interesting to note that a portion of the small quantity of PVC that is recycled is actually used to make credit cards, though the next bullet makes me a bit nervous about this.
PVC (#3) plastic is considered the most toxic form of plastic as it contains a variety of chemicals that can leach out throughout its life cycle. These chemicals, which include lead and mercury among a host of others, have been linked to cancer, asthma (interesting), autism, allergies, and hormonal issues.
Unlike other plastics that take a long time to break down, PVC (#3) plastic never breaks down and thus remains in the environment indefinitely once disposed.
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/6252770047
After reading about the major cons of purchasing an artificial tree, you might ask whether the fact that you only purchase artificial trees occasionally and hopefully reuse them on several occasions makes up for the fact that real trees need to be cut down every year?
To answer this question, did you know that greater than one half of U.S. forest land is privately owned? As a result, when you purchase a real Christmas tree or any other sustainable product made from our forests, you are supporting local landowners and providing them with the income they need to continue to effectively maintain the health of the forest land. In addition, according to the National Christmas Tree Association, farmers on average plant 1 to 3 seedlings for every Christmas tree that is purchased and cut down. The final result is a healthy forest that produces a greater number of high-quality trees, which results in more carbon being taken up compared with the alternative where you forego the real Christmas tree for the artificial one.
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/christmas-trees-xmas-farm-seasons-235357/
Finally, you may be wondering whether real Christmas trees end up being disposed of in the same landfill as artificial ones and from there release their stored carbon into the atmosphere as they decompose. This is true in many cases, and in and of itself beats the fact that an artificial tree will never decompose, but there is another more beneficial alternative. Many organizations that are focused on environmental conservation will give used Christmas trees a second life as part of a conservation or habitat restoration project. Therefore, look for local organizations in your area that are involved in such projects, and they will likely be more than happy to take your used Christmas tree.
Objective:
If you decided to go with an artificial Christmas tree this year and have already set it up, consider making a commitment with me to get a real tree next year. If you did go with a real tree this year, when you are ready to dispose of it after the holidays, consider donating it to a local organization focused on habitat conservation or restoration.
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