The Quick Facts: Both artificial and real Christmas trees come with pros and cons. Creative alternatives to a Christmas tree are probably the most environmentally-friendly option. But if you’re wanting the traditional tree, it appears that a real Christmas tree is the better choice for the environment and may also be the safer choice for your children’s health. If you opt for a real tree, you can help to limit its environmental impact by: buying locally; buying from an organic farm or one that utilizes integrated pest management techniques; and recycling the tree into mulch.
Tis the season to deck the halls. For many Christians, decking the halls inevitably includes decorating a Christmas tree. The whole process of setting up the Christmas tree, stringing lights or popcorn and cranberries, and hanging ornaments is a tradition that many of us hold dear. As children we loved the adventure of cutting down a fresh Balsam fir and watching our folks strap it to the roof of the car. Once home, we’d enthusiastically hang gaudy ornaments on its branches while deeply breathing its scent, sucking on a candy cane, and listening to Christmas carols playing in the background. Best of all, we’d find presents beneath its branches on Christmas morning. But…alas, we’re not kids any more. We’re adults. Adults with responsibility for the health of our children and the environment. So taking that responsibility head on, we contemplate: Which is the best choice for them—a real or artificial Christmas tree?
Both choices come with pros and cons. But it seems most environmentalists agree—a real Christmas tree is the better choice for the environment. It also may be the safer choice for your children’s health.
Artificial Christmas trees are reusable, lasting many years, and look ever-green (or frosted as the purchase may be). And it’s true that the longer an artificial tree lasts, the less its environmental impact (think fuel used each year to get a real tree versus fuel used to transport an artificial tree divided by the fifteen years it is used.) However, most artificial Christmas trees are made in China. Importing a tree from China to your local store involves the use of large amounts of non-renewable fossil fuels and the emission of lots of carbon dioxide—a gas that contributes to global warming. Most artificial Christmas trees are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or polyethylene, which are non-renewable, petroleum-derived plastics. The production of PVC generates known carcinogens which pollute neighborhoods near factory sites. Many artificial Christmas trees also contain lead, which is used to make the tree more flexible or stabilize its color. Lead is a known carcinogen and exposure to high levels of lead can cause neurological damage. The Children’s Health Environmental Coalition warns that artificial trees “may shed lead-laced dust, which may cover branches or shower gifts and the floor below the tree.” Finally, an artificial tree will likely one day be discarded in a landfill where it will not disintegrate but will remain forever.
Real Christmas trees have their cons as well. They are usually grown on farms with the use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Therefore, while they are growing (usually for about eight to ten years) and once they are discarded (either in your woods or at the already overburdened local landfill), they may contribute to pollution of local watersheds, potentially harming plants and animals. Also, when standing in your living room, they may cause a significant increase in mold spores in the indoor air—which is not good for allergy and asthma sufferers. Still, the impact of the pesticides and herbicides used to grow Christmas trees may be less than you expected. According to a study performed by the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension, little impact from pesticides and herbicides was found on streams below five Christmas tree farms over a year of monitoring. And, artificial trees can accumulate dust over the years, which also is not good for allergy and asthma sufferers. Moreover, farmed Christmas trees are a renewable resource since farmers replant at least two trees for each cut down. And, while the trees are growing at the farm, they are absorbing carbon dioxide, providing habitat for wildlife, and keeping the farmer in business and the land undeveloped. Furthermore, real Christmas trees can be recycled and reused as mulch.
Of course, there are other alternatives. If you’re willing to take a real risk and throw tradition to the wind, you can always opt for the most environmentally-friendly options such as: no tree; a live tree that can be planted outdoors after the holiday (which needs to be done within a week of bringing the tree indoors and doesn’t work if you live in the city or a cold climate)*; a vintage aluminum tree (if it’s vintage you are doing no new harm to the environment); a decorated Fica plant; or (our favorite) a large, fallen branch of a deciduous tree (a Birch would be nice) placed in a planter and decorated.
But if you are wanting tradition and the rich sent of a real Christmas tree, you can help to limit the environmental impact by: buying locally (thus using less resources to get it to your home); buying from an organic farm or one that utilizes integrated pest management techniques (thus limiting the use of pesticides and herbicides); and recycling the tree into mulch (thus limiting waste).
* Note: If you live in the Portland, Oregon or San Diego, California areas you can rent a living Christmas tree. Portland offers “The Original Living Christmas Tree Company” (www.livingchrismastrees.org) and San Diego has “Adopt a Christmas Tree” (www.adoptachristmastree.com).
Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:
http://www.grist.org (The Grist, article entitled, “Bough Wow”, discussing organic Christmas trees)
http://environment.about.com/od/greenchristmas/a/christmas_trees.htm (EarthTalk article entitled, “Real vs Fake Christmas Trees: Which Type of Christmas Tree is Better for your Health and the Environment”)
www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/xmas/environment/impacts.html (North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension “FAQ: Environmental Impacts of Christmas Tree Farms”)
www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20071112/christmas-trees-source-of-indoor-mold (WebMD article: “Christmas Trees: Source of Indoor Mold? Study Shows Trees May Bring Allergy Symptoms Along with Holiday Cheer”)
www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=700 (WebMD article: “Christmas Trees: Source of Indoor Mold? Study Shows Trees May Bring Allergy Symptoms Along with Holiday Cheer”)
www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=700 (Children’s Health Environmental Coalition, article entitled, “Holiday Lights and Christmas Trees May Contain Lead”)
