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Paper vs. plastic Christmas tree?

By Umbra Fisk, Grist.org

Posted Thu Dec 4, 2008 1:17pm PST

Related topics: Shopping, Holidays, Plastic

More from Grist.org - Ask Umbra blog

Dear Umbra,

Please settle our office dispute. Which is better for the environment: real or fake Christmas trees? Some believe that cutting down juvenile trees, displaying them for two weeks, then throwing them in the garbage is destructive, wasteful, and highly unfriendly to the environment. Others say that the Christmas-tree business keeps land that would otherwise be developed in trees, if only for a short while. Besides, fake trees are made of plastic, which is made from petroleum. (But you can keep using them for many years.)

Dearest Trisha,

Ah, yes, that annual question: What does the Gristmas tree look like? I think our office is going to get more of a Christmahanukkwanzaa cheese sculpture type of item.

You might be shocked to learn that I fell in love with artificial trees while researching this question. Fake-tree outlets have truly choice names: House of Trees, Christmas in America, Christmas Depot. The branches can hook or hinge or clip onto the trees, like a giant Tinkertoy, and you can order any tree you like, in a huge variety of genera and species. Even better, you can get a pre-lit tree or a pre-frosted tree (I think it's supposed to look like snow, not icing) or a tree with a warranty. Now, that's a family heirloom to which nature cannot hold a candle. (Petrified trees are so few and far between.)

Imagine my devastation, then, while cruising around in the World Wide Woods, to discover that my newly beloved fake trees are PVC (polyvinyl chloride) in yet another guise. Such a brief, intense love affair. Remember: No on vinyl, and that's final. We are boycotting vinyl to the greatest extent possible, people. The bright side is that it takes the debate out of the artificial Christmas tree dilemma.

I've looked on site after site and called various places, and I can tell you that polyvinyl chloride is the monoculture of the artificial forest. Even worse, lead is apparently used to stabilize certain PVC products, which is why you'll see a label on faux Christmas trees cautioning you to avoid inhaling or eating any bits of lead dust that may fall from the "branches" of the family heirloom. Now, I'm not saying you need to run screaming from the house, but between the lead and the vinylness, I just can't support artificial trees.

If you must have a tree, the good old-fashioned wooden kind is the right option. That does not necessarily make them a great option, though, and you should do your tree-selecting with care. Christmas trees are an agricultural product and carry the attendant issues of all mass agriculture. There are trees grown with pesticides and herbicides vs. organic specimens, there are family operations vs. large-scale producers, etc. The bottom line: Go for the actual tree and try to support a small-scale, sustainable grower if you can.

Now, some eco-tip-happy folks will suggest additional options. There's the "Buy a live tree and plant it" option, which I think is excessively poor advice if you a) live in a city or b) are susceptible to charging ahead with plantings inappropriate to your landscape. More reasonably, there's the "Don't buy a tree at all!" option, which I trust you have all already considered. If not: Have you thought about having no tree and living vicariously through the trees of others, decorating a living exterior tree, decorating a house plant, or making your own tree as an ambitious crafts project?

Merrily,
Umbra

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Showing 1 - 15 of 32 comments

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Posted by Bob Sat Dec 6, 2008 9:47am PST
I use the old newspaper that i get to rapup my gifts
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Posted by thomas.james Wed Dec 10, 2008 2:21pm PST
I'm still pretty partial to my 1963 vintage aluminum tree, and I get all nostalgic when they mention aluminum trees on "A Charlie Brown Christmas"....
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Posted by Afanofthelittleguys Wed Dec 10, 2008 2:24pm PST
You forget to also look at the safety issue. Every year we hear about house or apartment fires caused by the Christmas tree because a dried out tree is very flamable. Artifical trees seldom, if ever, cause a house fire. Don't house fires also have a negative effect on the enviornment?
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Posted by celia Wed Dec 10, 2008 2:43pm PST
i´ve always have a fake tree, but this year we choose to buy a natural one just for the fun and the smell! I felt horrible when i finally took it home, is poor dead tree. But you have some true about what a artificial tree does to the enviroment.. my bottom line: i will use my palm tree on my garden. lol
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Posted by MINDYOUROWN Wed Dec 10, 2008 2:56pm PST
My great grandmother used to make beautiful christmas trees out of (beleive it or not) recycled newspaper and chicken feathers she saved from her small farm.
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Posted by AmyH Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:24pm PST
OMG This is soooo ridiculous.....Just pick a tree why don't ya? Can't you do anything by yourself?
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Posted by MarkS Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:25pm PST
Also how long does the average household keep an artifical tree? I have asked around and most keep for around four years and they just end up in a landfill. Atleast a real tree decays in under eighthundred years compared to its PVC brother. Find out if your municipality recycles trees for mulch.
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Posted by Crazyhollywood Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:29pm PST
They are better for me and my health.. that's all I care about.
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Posted by joe Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:51pm PST
ok was it just me or does this artical SUCK it was hard to follow and made no sence what so ever...talk abot beating around the bush to answer someones question!
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Posted by rider guy Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:59pm PST
So you all do know that when a tree is harvested you are not really killing it, right?It is in a tree farms best interest to cut the tree about 12 inches above the ground so as to leave a stump left so a new tree will grow up from there.Its just like when you cut your grass, you are not killing it ,just giving it a haircut so to speak.And any fake tree PVC, vinyl,PETE, etc will emit harmful gasses into the air.So real trees FTW!
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Posted by SylwiaH Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:59pm PST
My family has used artificial trees my whole life. In Europe, we don't have too much land to grow christmas trees. We used a PVC tree for over 13 years, the second one is about 16 years old. It still looks great and It will last. I didn't know about the lead in it.hmm I might opt for decorating an outside tree and use candles and other deco to create a nice christmas feeling.
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Posted by fartmaster vrillon Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:37pm PST
wow you're really saving the world here...sheesh
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Posted by rm Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:23pm PST
so which is better fake or real?
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Posted by kska Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:25pm PST
Isn't it stupid to kill a tree just for a stupid holiday? If you need pine smell, get some air freshener or buy a real tree and then plant it! Trees clean the air and we need lots of them to take care of all the car pollution.
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Posted by Paul Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:48pm PST
Christmas trees do not grow a new one when cut 12" above the base. Sorry sounded good though. I prefer the real thing though over a fake.
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