Fake Christmas Trees vs. Real Trees

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According the NYS Department of Environment Conservation (DEC), for every one Christmas tree that is cut, one to three more seedlings are planted. 
The benefit for using a real Christmas tree instead of a plastic (fake) tree is that almost all Christmas trees are grown as crops making the switch from an artificial tree to a real one an easy decision.
It takes six to seven years to grown a Christmas tree. For those years that real tree soaks up carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change (global warming) and the chemicals to make plastic trees actually creates more greenhouse gases.
Real Christmas trees are a renewable resource. In addition most town collect used trees to be chipped and recycled for mulch, which helps reduce water usage in municipalities. Most fake trees are not biodegradable.


A  locally grown Christmas tree help build the local economy as well as decreasing shipping costs (which, yes, produces more greenhouse gases.)

For those of us that have allergies and can't have a real tree, consider just decorating an outside tree for the season instead of purchasing another plastic product that is imported from China. If you already own or inherited that silver tree, by all means use it. Before you just throw it away, look for ways that it can be reused and repurposed. Otherwise your Merry Christmas is going to the dump with all the other garbage. 
© Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook series, Adirondack Family Time™, which is available online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. 

 Diane is currently working on the third guidebook in the four-book series of Adirondack Family Activities™.

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