Natural vs artificial: Which Christmas tree option is better for the climate?

It’s that time of the year when most venture out in search for the best holiday sales. More importantly, they plan their household centerpiece of the season: the Christmas tree.

While some revel in the scent of a real tree and the joy of picking one out at a local farm, others prefer the simplicity of artificial trees they can reuse for Christmases to come.

But consumers are becoming more climate-conscious, and considering which tree has the lowest impact on our rapidly warming planet has become a vital part of the holiday decision. Plus, choosing a planet-friendly tree will likely get you on Santa’s good list.

So, which kind of tree has the lowest carbon footprint — a natural tree or a storebought plastic tree? It’s complicated, experts say.

“It’s definitely a lot more nuanced and complex than you think,” says Andy Finton, the landscape conservation director and forest ecologist for the Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts.

We’ve made a list — and checked it twice — of the things to know before you choose between real and artificial.

The case for artificial trees

It’s easy to imagine that reusing an artificial tree year after year is the more sustainable option. But Finton says that if an artificial tree is used for six years – the average amount of time people tend to keep them – “the carbon cost is definitely greater” than for a natural tree. “If the artificial trees are used for a longer lifespan, that balance changes,” Finton says. “I’ve read that it would take 20 years for the carbon balance to be about equivalent.”

That’s because artificial trees are typically made of polyvinyl chloride plastic, or PVC. Plastic is petroleum-based and created at pollution-belching petrochemical facilities. Studies have also linked PVC plastic to cancer and other public health and environmental risks.

Then there’s the transportation aspect. Most artificial Christmas trees are imported from China, meaning the products are carried by fossil fuel-powered ships across the ocean, then moved by heavy freight trucks before it ultimately lands on the distributor’s shelves or the consumer’s doorstep.

What are the benefits of real trees?

On average, it takes seven years to fully grow a Christmas tree. As it grows, it absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. Protecting forests and planting trees can help stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis by removing the planet-warming gas from the atmosphere.

If trees are cut down or burned, they can release the carbon they’ve been storing back into the atmosphere. But Doug Hundley, spokesperson for the National Christmas Tree Association, says the act of cutting down Christmas trees from a farm is balanced out when farmers immediately plant more seedlings to replace them.

There’s also an economic benefit to going natural, since most of the trees people end up getting are grown at nearby farms. “What we’re doing by purchasing a natural Christmas tree is supporting local economies, local communities, local farmers and to me, that’s a key part of the conservation equation,” Finton said.

Disposal matters

Trees pile up on the curbs after the holidays are over, and the final destination in many locations is landfills, where they contribute to emissions of methane — a powerful greenhouse gas roughly 80 times more potent that carbon dioxide.

Some towns and cities repurpose the trees to benefit the climate and the environment. In New York City, trees are recycled or composted. The city sanitation department also hosts an initiative called MulchFest, where residents can bring their trees to be chipped for mulch and used to nourish other trees throughout the city.

“When the tree is finished being used by the homeowner, it’s common in America to have the tree chipped up into mulch — and that’s stored carbon is put back in the ground,” Hundley added.

The end of life for an artificial tree is much different. They end up in landfills — where they could take hundreds of years to decompose — or incinerators, where they release hazardous chemicals.

The bottom line

Weighing the complicated climate pros and cons, real Christmas trees have the edge. But if you choose to deck your halls artificially, get a tree you’re going to love and reuse for many years.

Either way, Finton said, people should feel good about their decision and find other ways to tackle the climate crisis.