Artificial or real tree for Christmas: Which is more green?

It’s the centerpiece of the biggest holiday of the year for many American families: the Christmas tree, the focal point for parties and presents, replete with favorite ornaments and lights.

Some cherish the scent of a real tree and the tradition of bringing it home, while others prefer the tidier and easier option of the plastic variety.

But which is better for the environment? Here is a look at some of the central claims — and the common misconceptions — in that debate.

Cutting down trees bad for environment. (False.)

Don’t feel bad about cutting down a tree for the holiday. Christmas trees are crops grown on farms, like lettuce or corn. They are not cut down from wild forests on a large scale, said Bert Cregg, an expert in Christmas tree production and forestry at Michigan State University.

A 5- or 6-foot tree takes just under a decade to grow, and once it is cut down, the farmer will generally plant at least one in its place. The trees provide many benefits to the environment as they grow, cleaning the air and providing watersheds and habitats for wildlife. They grow best on rolling hills that are often unsuitable for other crops and, of course, they are biodegradable.

Oregon is the country’s biggest grower, followed by North Carolina. Many other states also have sizable Christmas tree farms, which preserve open land from development by their very existence.

Prices for real trees have reached record highs over the last few years because farmers planted fewer trees during the 2008 recession. That may have driven some families to make the leap to a manufactured one. The average price was $75 for a real tree last year, while the average price for an artificial tree — which can be reused — was $107, according to a Nielsen/Harris poll.

Tim O’Connor, a spokesman for the organization, said the best way to ensure future supply was to buy a tree this year.

Reusing artificial tree reduces environmental impact. (True.)

A recent survey for the American Christmas Tree Association, conducted by Nielsen, found that three quarters of American households display a tree — and the vast majority of those, around 80 percent, are artificial.

Most of the artificial trees on the market are made of PVC and steel in China and shipped to the United States — and eventually sent to a landfill.

While that may not sound ecofriendly, the ACTA, which represents manufacturers, claims the environmental impact is lower than that of a real tree if you use the artificial tree for five or more years.

The group argues that getting a new, real tree each year — and possibly disposing of it in a landfill at the end of the season — has a bigger impact on greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy use, and other areas than a reused artificial tree does.

The greenest real tree is bought locally, recycled. (True.)

The preference for real trees is strongest in the Northeast and along the West Coast, data from the ACTA shows. O’Connor said that younger, more environmentally conscious consumers — the same ones who buy organic produce at the grocery store — are increasingly embracing real trees. And some families enjoy visiting farms to choose and cut their own trees.

“There’s this wonderful family experience that’s just not parallel to dragging a dusty box out of the attic,” O’Connor said.