Are artificial Christmas trees eco friendly or not? After all, they are manufactured from plastics, transported thousands of miles, and end up in the landfill where it takes them forever to disintegrate. How could they be more eco-friendly than a real tree?

The truth is that there are negatives and benefits to both types of trees and only you can decide what the right choice for your family is.

• A real tree is non-toxic and it will biodegrade. On the other hand it has to be cut down and will die (unless you use a potted tree).
• An artificial tree won't break down and it has to be manufactured. The thing is that it will last for years. The artificial tree that my husband and I had for the first six years of our marriage was one that my parents had bought over 20 years before. Artificial trees that are well taken care of will last decades and will save you money.

Some of the Chemicals Involved in an Artificial Tree

There are chemicals involved in the creating of an artificial tree. Obviously the real try is not going to have them. You should be aware of what your artificial Christmas tree may be out gassing.

Lead is used in the manufacture

Trees release Dioxins, a carcinogen

You are going to get opinions on both sides of the argument. Do what you are most comfortable with.

Flocked trees give you the look of snowy boughs on a winter morning. The flocking ingredient is usually cellulose and wax based and is non-toxic. The flocked trees are more expensive than the ones that are not flocked.

You can flock your own Christmas tree. Just buy the flocking spray and spray your tree according to the directions. This is a great way to “spruce” up a used artificial tree that you may have found at a thrift shop.

The flocking may be put on just lightly, like a dusting of snowflakes, or it may be thick enough to make the tree look white. Which look you decide on is totally up to your own taste and desire.

Prelit trees are all ready wired with all of the lights you will need. If a light goes out it can be replaced. There is no need to remove the lights, just take the tree down according to the instructions and it is ready to be put up again next year.

Make sure that you are getting a tree with the number of lights that you like. The less expensive ones will usually have less lights so keep that in mind. You can get the prelit trees in many styles, with either white lights or colors. There are also other options to consider like fiber optics or LED lighting.

Fiber Optic Christmas Trees

Fiber optic lights save energy and can be programmed many different ways. Fiber optics are plastic or glass tubes that carry the light. You can get a variety of effects with this types of lighting, as well as hundreds of different colors.

LED Christmas Trees

LED lights are also an energy saving choice. The look more traditional than the fiber optic lights and come in both the mini lights and the vintage light styles. Depending on the lights you get you are looking at 5,000 to 20,000 hours of light.

Artificial trees are a good choice for some people. If you want to make it as eco friendly as possible take good care of your tree. Keep it for as long as possible and you will be doing good things for you budget as well as the environment.