23 / 64
23
Chapter 2: Forestry Products and Techniques
Christmas Trees: Real or Fake?
In recent years, people have become more thoughtful about the
environmental impacts of the choices they make. For people who celebrate
Christmas, this inspires a tricky question: What is better for the Earth, a real
Christmas tree or an artificial one?
Some people take issue with the idea of cutting down a live tree only to
throw it away a few weeks later. Artificial trees, by contrast, are reusable. If
you invest in one, you can use it again and again, rather than destroying a
new tree every year. However, artificial trees are usually made from plastic,
which is not especially environmentally friendly. You also have to consider
the impact of the factory that made the tree in the first place. Many artificial
trees are shipped from China, adding to their environmental impact. And
it’s not uncommon for artificial trees to end their lives in landfills, which
contributes to the problem.
On the other hand, real trees are
biodegradable
. They can be recycled
and turned into mulch or compost. It is also worth considering the fact that
Christmas tree farms are a big
business, employing some 100,000
people during the season and taking
up about 350,000 acres of land in
the United States. That’s a lot of
land devoted to trees that might
otherwise be sold to developers.
In the end, experts say that both
live and artificial trees have equal—
and ultimately pretty minor—
impacts on the environment. But if
you are concerned about the impact
of your seasonal decorations,
the American Christmas Tree
Association makes the following
recommendations: (1) if you choose
a live tree, buy one that was grown
locally if possible, (2) consider how
far your tree (whether artificial or
real) had to travel to get to you, (3)
reuse artificial trees for a minimum
of 9 years, and (4) be sure to
properly dispose of your real tree.