Should you get an artificial or a real tree this Christmas?

As the holiday season approaches, many people are considering what kind of tree they should buy for their Christmas celebrations. For those looking to have a natural tree, it is essential to consider all aspects of artificial vs real trees before making a purchase.
Artificial Trees
Pros: Typically less expensive than real trees, artificial trees eliminate allergy problems associated with pet dander and pollen. Artificial trees can be reused if you use Christmas tree storage methods year after year, whereas fresh-cut ones need to be discarded after being used only once. Also, since artificial trees don’t decompose, they do not leave behind any mess after the holidays are over. Additionally, since no natural materials could cause harm during combustion, artificial trees do not pose any fire hazard, unlike real Christmas trees.
Cons: Artificial trees don’t positively affect air quality as real Christmas trees because they don’t release oxygen. It is also impossible to sustainably source fake trees, so you are left with one-time-use products which cannot be used again.
Real Trees
Pros: Real Christmas trees come from responsibly managed forests, sequestering significant amounts of carbon dioxide and producing oxygen more rapidly than most artificial materials. They also help decrease soil erosion by holding the ground together with their roots. Finally, unlike artificial trees that can produce phthalates (a carcinogenic chemical) when exposed to heat during combustion, real Christmas tree needles do not emit any toxic fumes during a fire.
Cons: Even though there are many benefits to having a real Christmas tree, they come at a cost. The average real Christmas tree can take up 10-15 years before it is fully mature and ready for harvest, while artificial trees are harvested only 1 year after being manufactured. Also, according to the EPA, in 2010, 24 million pounds of pesticide were sprayed on Christmas trees while another 12 million were used during planting. In addition to pesticides, fertilizers can also impact water quality because they contain nitrogen, which causes algal blooms when washed into bodies of water from runoff.
Bottom Line: The truth behind both types of trees is that neither type beat the other in every category. Some people prefer artificial trees because they don’t have allergies or reduce their carbon footprint, but others prefer real trees because they are grown responsibly and provide more benefits. So with both options, choose the best option for yourself based on your values. People looking to have a natural tree should consider all aspects of artificial vs real trees before making a purchase.
Artificial trees typically less expensive than real trees
-Real Christmas trees come from responsibly managed forests, sequestering significant amounts of carbon dioxide and producing oxygen more rapidly than most artificial materials
-Since there are no natural materials that could cause harm during combustion, artificial trees do not pose any fire hazard, unlike real Christmas trees
-“Unlike artificial trees that can produce phthalates (a carcinogenic chemical) when exposed to heat during combustion, [real] Christmas tree needles do not emit any toxic fumes during a fire”
-“Even though there are many benefits to having a real Christmas tree, they come at a cost”
-“The truth behind both types of trees is that neither type beat the other one in every category”
-Real trees are typically more expensive than artificial ones
-Real trees are not reusable. After you use them once, they need to be thrown away whereas with an artificial tree you can store it and reuse it next year
Artificial trees don’t provide the same positive effects on air quality as real Christmas trees because they don’t release oxygen. The average real Christmas tree can take up 10-15 years before it is fully mature and ready for harvest while artificial trees are harvested only 1 year after being manufactured.