There is some debate about buying a live tree, versus a reusable artificial tree. Ultimately, buying a real tree means keeping dioxins out of the air, and when the holidays are done, the tree can be mulched or used within the environment in other ways.
Advantages to Buying a Live Tree
A live tree that is grown on a Christmas tree plantation has several advantages; Tree farms contribute to the amount of oxygen on our planet: One acre of real fir tree removes carbon dioxide from our atmosphere and produces enough oxygen for 18 humans.
One option to bringing a living tree into your home would be to buy a potted one and plant it in spring. Organic live trees have the advantage of not bringing pesticides into your home, and even a non-organic commercial tree doesn’t contain plastics and synthetic materials that are toxic if heated.
Disadvantages to Buying a Live Tree
Some disadvantages include the need to water the base frequently and almost constantly vacuuming pine needles off the floor. After a few weeks, many needles can be lost, giving the tree a threadbare appearance, which makes for a less-than festive looking room.
Another disadvantage to a live tree is its disposal: Many people still discard their old Christmas tree by the curb, when many municipalities have a Christmas tree recycling program. The unwanted Christmas trees are collected and shredded into mulch, which is used as fertilizer.
Cost is another factor: Not only buying the tree, but discarding it. Some neighbourhoods charge per bag or pound of garbage. Look into tree disposal habits in your district: If there isn’t a program that picks up and recycles trees, an artificial tree might be for you.
Advantages to Buying a Fake Tree
A well made artificial tree can be convincing, with branches of consistent shape and size, making for a perfectly symmetrical tree. If it is stored properly, a synthetic Christmas tree can last several years, making it a more economical choice. If you buy one artificial tree and re-use it for several years, it will likely cost less than paying the same amount year after year.
Synthetic trees are easy to maintain, in that there is no need to water or vacuum pine needles off the floor. Some models even have built in lights, so the bother of untangling gnarled lights is eliminated. This year's designs are deliberate departures from attempts to mimic nature; dramatic looking black trees and bright red or silver trees are featured in many home décor shops.
A synthetic tree can be a kind choice for those who suffer from seasonal allergies. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, some people are allergic to terpene, the substance found in the sap of Christmas trees.
Disadvantages to Buying a Synthetic Tree
Eventually, synthetic trees may break, or you might get tired of the colour scheme you had chosen, when it is no longer in fashion. However, the plastic and metal used in most artificial trees cannot be separated, which means you can’t recycle the tree.
This means they wind up in a landfill or incinerated – and since most trees are made of fossil fuel by-products, burying it disrupts the local environment since it’s not biodegradable, and PVC’s and plastics causes air pollution, smog and acid rain.
For alternative ideas on what to do with your old Christmas tree, check out the recycling tips from the CCTGA. Ideas include using your old tree as firewood, and saving one log to start next year’s Yule.
Naomi Szeben - Six-time Editor's Choice Award winner Naomi Szeben puts life into "green and simple living" articles for Suite 101.com. She graduated ...
