Do you wonder, every holiday season whether it is more environmentally-friendly to get a real or fake Christmas tree?

While there is no crystal clear answer, after considering the below factors, real trees are a slightly better choice for your health and the environment.

Indoor air quality
Fake trees are made from PVC (non-renewable, petroleum-derived plastic) and contain high levels of lead. According to a report in the Journal of Environmental Health, lead contaminates dust and damages indoor air quality. But with real trees you’re replacing that not-so-lovely PVC with a fresh pine scent.

Buy local and organic
If you opt for a real tree, you can help to limit its environmental impact by buying locally. Most fake trees are manufactured in China; therefore the transportation alone creates a huge environmental footprint. Also, buying organic will ensure that your tree is not sprayed with pesticides, fed with fertilizers, and raised in other artificial and unsustainable ways.

Recycle it
Real Christmas trees are biodegradable, which means they can be easily reused or recycled for mulch and other purposes. Check out these great tips on recycling your tree. For more information on Christmas Tree recycling programs in your area contact your regional municipality.

Unfortunately since fake trees are made from PVC they can’t be recycled and will eventually make their way to a landfill where their hazardous elements will seep into the soil and water tables. So if you’re getting rid of your fake tree…
 
Don’t throw it out!
Once you’re done with it, check with local charities, shelters and churches to see if they can use it. Most recycling programs do not accept them, and they’ll take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills.

If purchasing an artificial tree is your only option, then try to find one made in Canada from a manufacturer that does not use lead or other toxins.  

Although real trees are better, they are not without their environmental impacts. Real Christmas trees are grown on farms, like other crops, so take into consideration things like soil erosion, pesticide use, the water and energy used to maintain them. So should we really be cutting them down only to use for a couple weeks?

Other fun options to trees are:

• Decorating an indoor plant
• Choose a live, potted tree with its roots still attached from a sustainable farm and plant it in your yard after Christmas
• Designating an existing outdoor tree as your Christmas tree
• A Christmas tree wall hanging--simple to hang and super easy to store (and some can even be lit!)
• A Christmas tree made out of recycled cardboard