With the holidays right around the corner, the topic of Christmas trees gets quite controversial: Is it better to get a real tree or an artificial tree?
The answer is a real tree! Of course, it all depends on your living situation and what you can afford, but if you have a choice a live-cut Christmas tree is the best option. How is a real tree better than a fake one? First, buying a live tree supports forests, because the best way to support and protect a forest is by cutting down trees. When our forests are sustainably managed they can store as much carbon as unmanaged forests. The Nature Conservancy states that out of the 350-500 million trees growing on tree farms across the U.S., only 30 million are harvested for Christmas each year. Buying real trees will help keep tree farms in business—and, in turn, keep their lands covered in the healthy forest habitat that wildlife depends on to survive.
Second, real trees don’t require the intensive carbon emissions that it takes to produce and ship artificial trees. The Nature Conservancy states that most artificial trees are not recyclable and end up in local landfills. Further, think of the strong smell of plastic on artificial trees. Most artificial trees are made with one of the most dangerous types of plastic: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The chemical used to make PVC, vinyl chloride, is a group 1 carcinogen.
Last, a live-cut tree is better than a fake one because the live tree provides a family tradition, creates family fun, and reduces initial expenses. It’s a myth that artificial Christmas trees are always the cheaper option—at least on a one-to-one basis. This year, you can do your part for nature by picking out a real tree that’s not only beautiful, but good for the Earth, too. That could cement your position on the “Nice” list.
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