Real vs. Artificial: Which Christmas tree is greener?

According to the American Christmas Tree Association, the vast majority of households, around 84 percent, display artificial trees during the holiday season. For those accustomed to a natural tree, making the jump to artificial trees can feel like missing out on a key feature of the holiday. However, as artificial trees have become easier to store, they have become attractive since they don’t release needles and always look fresh.

Additionally, those in the artificial tree market tout the environmental benefits of their product. However, as most of these trees are made of plastic, there are questions about the ecological impact of their production. Most artificial trees come from China, and the environmental organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC) notes that the emissions from transporting these products to the U.S. must be factored into their carbon footprint. These questions are further complicated because Christmas tree farms are businesses that plant trees specifically to cut them down, making their environmental impacts cyclical. Older trees are cut down, and new seedlings are planted each year. The Nature Conservancy argues that real trees are greener because they do not require emissions to produce. Although they lead to deforestation, the business model ensures more trees are planted and trees remain standing until they are cut. This allows them to serve as a carbon sink until they are harvested and replaced by another generation.

What the science says

While there is some release of carbon from the decomposition of a real Christmas tree, it does not compare to the environmental impact of creating an artificial one. Science Focus examined this comparison and found that an artificial tree will release around 40 kilograms of carbon dioxide, while a real tree that ends up in a wood chipper or bonfire has a carbon footprint of just 3.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide. If it ends up in a landfill, the CO2 calculation increases to 16 kilograms, but it is still far less than that of an artificial tree.

Scientists who examined the difference state that for an artificial tree to offset its carbon footprint, the household would need to reuse the tree for at least 12 years to make it greener than a real tree that is burned.

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