The real thing makes the best Christmas tree

NOW that we have entered the festive season, many families will be putting up Christmas trees in the next few weeks as part of their traditional celebrations. With a variety of both real trees and artificial trees available, the right choice can depend on a variety of personal circumstances. For families trying to be eco-friendly for the holidays, the question is often asked…which is more eco-friendly: real trees or artificial trees?

While it may seem logical that artificial trees are the best choice given that they are used several times instead of just once, by digging deeper into the manufacturing process you soon realize the eco-disadvantages. Artificial trees are made with polyvinyl chloride (or PVC) which is one of the most environmentally offensive forms of non-renewable, petroleum-derived plastic.

From a health perspective, the manufacture of PVC has been known to produce several known carcinogens such as dioxin, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride. These carcinogens often work their way into communities and various forms of cancer have been associated with them as well.

About 85 per cent of all artificial trees sold in Europe are made in China, Korea or Taiwan where environmental protections are far less rigid than within the EU. Fake trees can also contain lead and other additives, which are used to make PVC more malleable.

When the time comes to eventually replace an artificial tree, they cannot be recycled. Instead they will be taken to landfill where they never break down and take up scarce landfill space which has increasingly become a more significant problem globally.

By comparison, real trees are farmed and considered an agricultural resource, just like other farmed and agricultural products we rely upon for food. Christmas trees are grown on farms using sustainable practices and are harvested on a regular basis. Christmas trees are not cut down from forests where trees were always meant to be.

Real Christmas trees are also farmed on land that is usually not suitable for other crops and instead of leaving the land vacant, the trees planted and grown there stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide a refuge for wildlife. Typical with all other trees, Christmas trees provide a valuable service to our atmosphere too as they absorb carbon dioxide and other gases while emitting oxygen. It’s been estimated that one acre of Christmas trees produces the daily oxygen requirements for 18 people.

Once a tree is chopped down, seedlings are planted to replace it. Often three seedlings are planted for every one tree harvested.

When a real tree is removed from a home after Christmas, it can be composted or cut us for use as fuel. Christmas trees which are taken to recycling centres will be converted to mulch or wood chips leaving virtually no residual waste.

So there you go! If making responsible and eco-friendly choices are important to you during this holiday season, a real tree as opposed to an artificial tree is the best choice – and one that offers many more residual benefits as well.

Christmas trees are grown on farms using sustainable practices.