Too many times we've heard people tell us that Christmas tree farming is "bad" for the environment.
Here are a few myths debunked regarding the debacle between real versus fake.
Myth #1. Artificial trees are better for the environment.
Wrong! Artificial trees are made from plastic and whether it’s today or ten years from now, there will be a time when the trees will disposed of — adding unnecessary plastic waste to our landfills. Also, plastic trees contain polyvinyl chloride, which is a plastic that contains numerous cancer-causing carcinogens and are extremely dangerous during production. And don’t get us started on all the lead that’s in plastic trees and its repercussions. Yikes!
Myth #2. Real trees are bad for our environment because they are cut down.
Wrong! Each acre of Christmas trees provides the daily oxygen requirements for 18 people. And for every tree that is cut down, 2-3 seedlings are planted in its place. This means Christmas tree farmland is constantly being cultivated to grow more trees. You can’t get more environmentally friendly than planting thousands of trees every year!
And every year trees are recycled for a number of purposes.
In Jodi Helmer's post on how to have a green Christmas, she writes,
"It might seem counterintuitive, but purchasing a fresh-cut Christmas tree is better for the environment than assembling an artificial tree in the living room. Christmas trees are grown on tree farms, and their stock is replenished annually; on the farm, trees provide habitats for songbirds and small mammals such as mice and rabbits. Once the holidays are over, cut trees can be shredded into mulch for the garden or sent to a municipal compost pile.
In contrast, artificial trees are made with petroleum-based materials and are often shipped from overseas; once their branches start looking shaggy, they are sent to the landfill."
You can read Jodi's full post here: I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas.
Myth #3. Buying an artificial tree is an economically sound purchase.
If you think buying a fake tree is a smart decision economically, you are WRONG! The majority of artificial Christmas trees are made in Korea or China. So if you buy a fake tree your dollars are going overseas. Buy a real tree and support American farms, American families, American businesses! And may we add, now is not the time to skimp on our national economical state.
So let’s keep it “real” here—buying a fake tree is not the better option.
And besides, when you purchase a tree at a local Christmas tree lot (preferably an Alpine Christmas Tree lot) you don’t just go for the tree—you go to the lot for the whole experience of picking out your family tree, saying hi to Santa, getting a cup of hot chocolate--the whole sha-bang!
Keep this tradition alive. And if it’s not a Christmas tradition for your family, well 2015 is a good year to start!
We’d love to hear from you! Do you prefer a real tree or a fake tree? And why?
