Real trees vs fake: which are more eco-friendly?

If you’re dreaming of a green Christmas, you’ll need to give your choice of tree some thought. Here's why…

It may seem counter-intuitive that cutting down a living tree could ever be an environmentally friendly option. However, the verdict from the Carbon Trust is that a real Christmas tree can have a much smaller carbon footprint when compared with a similar-sized, artificial version.

GREEN CHRISTMAS

The smaller carbon footprint of a real tree vs an artificial one is partly down to the fact that the living one stores carbon as it grows. If you opt for a cut Christmas tree and burn it at the end of the festive season (providing you can do so safely), the carbon stored in the tree is released back into the atmosphere. This means that the tree itself hasn’t added to the amount of carbon in the environment. Chipping a cut tree to spread on the garden is another eco-friendly way of disposing of it – or trees can be recycled (use the postcode checker at recyclenow.com/local-recycling to find out where you can recycle your Christmas tree). Whatever you do, don’t send a Christmas tree to landfill, where it will give off harmful methane gas as it decomposes.

If you have the space in your garden, you could buy a tree in a pot and reuse it. This way, the tree can keep on growing and absorbing carbon. You can even rent a potted one for Christmas through schemes such as rentalclaus.com.

You’ll pay around £40 to rent a 6ft tree.

COMMIT TO YOUR FAUX TREE

Artificial trees are seen as a less eco-friendly choice because of the carbon emissions that are produced when they are manufactured and also because they are made from plastic, which has a large carbon footprint. If you already own an artificial Christmas tree, or if you’re thinking of buying one, you’ll need to use it for at least 10 years before its carbon footprint comes close to the total carbon footprint of buying, then burning, a real tree every year for a decade.

In addition, artificial trees can’t be recycled, so if you do opt to fake it, then it makes sense to buy the best quality tree you can afford and use it for as long as possible.