Real vs Fake Christmas Trees

By Alectra Rose

  When Christmas comes around it is a tradition to for many to put up and decorate a tree. Some get fake trees while others get real trees, you may be thinking what's the difference between them? In this article, we are going to talk about the differences along with which one most people think is better.

Why are real trees better than artificial ones?

First, real trees don’t require the intensive carbon emissions it takes to produce and ship artificial trees.

Not only that, it also supports forests. When these natural trees are harvested for sale, there are more than ten times as many left standing! 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.

Artificial trees are often made of plastic, a petroleum-based material, and steel. Many trees use polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, which has been linked to health and environmental risks. 

And what’s more, once all the festivities are done, these trees can be recycled and given a second life. Most states have organizations that use these donated Christmas trees for conservation and habitat projects in their local communities. Meanwhile, artificial trees are usually not recyclable and often fill our landfills.

Many people believe real trees are bad because we should avoid cutting down trees in general. However, science shows that one of the best ways to protect forests is to use them—carefully. When our forests are sustainably managed, they can produce renewable resources like Christmas trees and other wood-made products.

Why are artificial trees better than real ones?

Yes, real Christmas trees are fabulous, but they're high-maintenance too. It's one exceptional houseplant you'll need to tend to daily. One of the obvious reasons to get an artificial spruce is to eliminate the hassle of watering, sweeping, trimming, and worrying about the right placement for optimal freshness.

Buying an artificial tree also allows customization. What I mean by this is you can't exactly request the specific tree of your dreams from Mother Nature, but ordering an artificial tree lets you customize it to your taste. You can also buy them pre-lit, deckled with pinecones, or frosted with illusion snow.

Artificial trees can last many years if well cared for, which seems to make them the obvious sustainable choice, but they do have drawbacks. Because most are made with plastic and metal materials, they take a lot of resources to create — and their plastic components will exist for thousands of years, polluting our oceans and filling the bellies of sea turtles.

“The impact of both types of trees varies based on how far consumers travel to get their tree, how they dispose of their tree, and how long consumers use their trees,” according to a summary of the study from ACTA, which released the assessment conducted by WAP Sustainability Consulting.