Conscious Christmas: Real vs. Fake Trees

It’s an age-old holiday decision: whether to use a real Christmas tree or a fake Christmas tree as your home’s holiday centerpiece. For many, this choice is backed by years of yuletide tradition. But which is actually better for the planet?

The truth is: real trees are actually more sustainable than artificial ones.

How so?

Fake trees are often made with plastic and metal. Most fake trees are produced in China and then shipped globally; resulting in an increase in carbon emissions.

And unlike a real tree, which takes between 1-2 years to biodegrade, an artificial tree can take over 500 years to decompose. Thus, the carbon footprint of a fake tree is larger than that of a real one.

You might ask, isn’t chopping down trees bad, regardless?

Yes, but only if they aren’t sustainably managed. In fact, science shows carefully managed forests, and thus real Christmas trees, can bring about many benefits:

• The storage of excess carbon, which helps fight climate change

• Growth of new forests habitats (1-3 seedlings are planted for every tree chopped down)

• Creation of more renewable resources

• Production of less waste, as real trees can be recycled and composted

Get on the planet’s nice list by going green this holiday season. If you celebrate Christmas, consider the real deal.

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We’ve got more CONSCIOUS CHRISTMAS tips coming your way. Stay tuned for all the ways to make this year’s holiday greener than ever.