Deciding On a Real or Artificial Christmas Tree: Thoughts to Help You Have a Green Christmas

My family always had a real tree when I was a kid, but now that we are all grown up my parents have an artificial tree. It is easier for them to put up and they can just store it away in the garage and not spend money on buying a tree every year. At my house, we have a real tree that we stuffed into the back of my fiance's Honda Civic hatchback. It makes the living room smell so good, but I over watered it and got the tree skirt and a few gifts all wet. Watch out for that. We chose a real tree because the whole process of going to pick it out, carrying it home, and smelling it feels festive. Obviously there are pros and cons of having a real or fake Christmas tree; you have to make the choice that makes sense for your household. Here are some facts to help you make your decision.

Lets first think about where both kinds of trees come from. Most real trees are grown on tree farms specifically meant to turn out Christmas trees. They are not old grownth trees or even from the forest in most all cases. They are a renewable resource and as long as we restrict ourselves to only farm grown trees we aren't beating up the woods.

The majority of artificial tree are made over seas, mainly in China. At the factories they are formed out of plastic (containing petroleum) & metal most of which contain PVC's and lead. The petroleum and metals are non-renewable resources. I found a chart that lays out some of this information in quick to absorb manner. Check it out.

With artificial there are a couple of things you don't have to worry about as you would with a real tree. There are people with pine allergies that you don't have to worry about. Also the fire hazard is not as large when the needles aren't real and you don't have to try to remember to water it.

Once the holidays are over you will either have a dead tree dropping needles all over your floor or an old artificial tree that may have reached its last leg. If you have a real tree you can get rid of it in numerous ways and still do something good for the outdoors. However, if your fake tree has seen its last day, there is really only one thing that you can do with it- send it to the landfill. That is the main reason artificial trees are not good to the environment. The chemicals in the pvc and the lead can leach into the ground and then the water. If you are in need of a new artificial tree and a real one isn't appropriate for your home, there are some companies that make and sell Christmas trees here in the U.S.

One is the Holiday Tree and Trim Co. Their trees come with a 50 year warranty so you won't have to buy another for a very long time. Online there is the Christmas Depot, who carries U.S. made trees as well as lead free trees. Lastly U.S. Christmas Tree carries American made tree as well.

As for dealing with your dead tree consider some of these options:

• make it into mulch- some cities will pick up your trees curbside, mulch them and then give the mulch free to community members or the city will use the mulch for the public green spaces
• stack on a brush pile for wildlife- only if you have access to yours or a friends private property
• sink it in a pond as a fish refuge- again, only if you have access to a private pond or lake or get permission and only if the tree hasn't been treated with chemicals when grown
• shake off all the dead needles and use them in your garden- rotting needles add acid to alkaline soil and can help your veggies
• make a new decoration from the dead tree- an idea by Danny Seo in "Simply Green": let the tree dry out completely outside leaned against the house or garage. Knock off all the needles then spray paint it (using non-aerosol) red or silver. It can then be decorated next Christmas or for any celebration you want

Another option altogether is to bring a live tree inside with a root ball. This way, you can plant the tree after the holidays and keep enjoying it. Here are the steps to get a live tree inside safe and sound.

• Gradually introduce the tree to a warmer area using an enclosed porch or garage. Leave it there for 3-4 days.

• If possible put the tree in the coolest part of the room away from heating vents
• Place the tree and root ball in a large tub or pot and stabilize upright with rocks or bricks inside the tub. If balled in burlap, fill extra space with mulch.

• Water often enough so that the roots and soil stay moist but not soggy. DO NOT add fertilizer or nutrients to your tree. You want it to stay dormant, not to grow. It needs to save its energy for spring time.

• Leave inside no more that 4-10 days. The shorter the time spent inside, the better chance it has when it is relocated back outside.
• Reintroduce it to the outdoors in the same way you got it ready to come inside. Let it sit on the porch or in the garage for a few days, after that it can be replanted.

If you don't have a way to mulch your tree, no lake or yard and the environmental problems with artificial trees bother you, try starting a new tradition that doesn't envolve an inside tree. You could decorate a tree in the yard or make a pine wreath. Or you can simply focus on other holiday activities like making Christmas cookies, going for evening walkes to admire your neighbors lights, make a gingerbread house and deck your halls like crazy.

Have a Merry Christmas all!