Artificial trees

Artificial trees may seem like the best choice because they are a durable product that can be reused for more than one year. But they do more harm than good:

• they are made from nonrenewable polyvinyl chloride and other plastics and metals that are not biodegradable.
• the average life span of an artificial tree is only about six years, then it will remain in the landfill where it was disposed of for centuries.
• artificial trees can catch fire and, when they do, they give off dangerous toxic fumes.

Fresh-cut trees

Until fairly recently, all holiday trees came from the forest, but this is no longer true. Of the approximately 35 million holiday trees that are sold each year, 95 percent are shipped or sold directly from holiday tree farms. Over one million acres of land have been planted in holiday evergreen trees, and over 100,000 people are employed growing them, mostly on family farms.

The environmental effects of fresh-cut holiday trees are actually beneficial. Fresh-cut trees are a renewable, recyclable, biodegradable resource. According to tree growers, fresh-cut evergreen trees help the environment from the time they are planted until after the holiday season when they can be recycled:

• Acreage used to grow holiday trees adds to the total amount of forested land on the Earth. For every fresh-cut tree harvested, three seedlings are planted in its place and about ten others are still being grown on farms to prepare for the next ten harvest seasons.
• Live evergreen trees absorb carbon dioxide and other gases while they are growing, and emit fresh oxygen. Approximately 1 million acres of holiday trees growing in the United States supply about 18 million people a day with oxygen.
• Live evergreen trees are often grown on land which could not be used to grow other farm products, such as barren slopes or under power lines. They stabilize soil, protect water supplies, and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic green belts.
• Live evergreen trees are an all-American product, grown in all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.
• Tree farms contribute to local employment and the economy. Tree farmers buy supplies locally and hire local seasonal help.
• Evergreen trees are completely biogradable. On their own, they will break down and return their stored nutrients to the soil from which they came.
• Fresh-cut evergreen trees can be recycled through recycling programs that are now available in most communities.

Living trees

Instead of cutting a tree for the holidays, you can plant one, when you choose a living tree. Sold in containers, living trees have their roots intact and can be planted outdoors or grown in their containers following the holiday.

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