For years and years the dilemma of getting a real Christmas tree or a fake one has been prevalent during the holiday season. In fact, many say it was Theodore Roosevelt who started the debate when he refused to have a Christmas tree in the White House due to “environmental concerns”. While for some it is an obvious choice (due to allergic reactions to some of the most common types of trees) others struggle with deciding which would be better. There are many factors going into deciding, because it is true that getting and putting up a real Christmas tree is much more of a hassle; but I wonder if there is any evidence that one option is definitely better than the other.
According to Rodale’s OrganicLife, 60% of Americans set up fake Christmas trees over real ones. Although in terms of the best eco-friendly option, real Christmas trees in fact win despite the popular choice. This is because fake trees are made from the plastic Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), which releases toxic chemical dioxin during PVC production (also made from the same material piping is made of). PVC contains hormone-disrupting plastic softeners called phthalates, which in the event of a fire will burn and emit the dioxins. It has also been found that many fake trees have been contaminated with lead, some even coming with a warning label to wash your hands after handling them to avoid ingesting this metal. Not to mention that fake Christmas trees are not recyclable; therefore if you decide to toss it and get a new one, your discarded tree will end up in a landfill forever. In fact, to consider your fake tree to be more environmentally friendly than a real evergreen, you would have to use it for 20 years!
A different article from tdn takes both sides of the “debate”, saying it all really depends. Like the previous article, they mention the Montreal study done in 2009, which found that an artificial tree (which typically has a life span of 6 years) has three times more impact on climate change and resource depletion than the natural tree. Artificial trees also create an even bigger carbon footprint if you factor in transportation. This is because most of the fake trees are shipped overseas from China; thus a family driving to a local tree farm leaves much less of a footprint than its counterpart. But of course on the other side of the argument, an artificial tree can in fact last 10-20 years if you store it in a safe area and buy a good quality tree (therefore carbon footprint from travel would be in fact reduced, factoring in travel to get a new real tree every year). Although despite that, families getting real trees for the holiday season allows the tree farmers to employ local people and give business to their local tree farm, which in term helps a towns economy. This article concludes that it all really depends on preference, because it really is easier to get an artificial tree, as they require no water, are set up in minutes, and many already come pre lit.
The Christmas Tree Association points out that a new and recent Life Cycle Analysis concluded that neither tree has a significant negative impact on the environment, therefore it really comes down to what tree best fits your own personal lifestyle. Although the analysis, conducted by PE International doesn’t seem to be very information filled, as it is very bland and does not mention any of the results they had found. The study was also sponsored by the Christmas Tree Association (which put out the article saying the impact from artificial trees is not environmentally significant). Which leads me to wonder how true it all is considering this was referred to as a “third party study”. I feel a file drawer problem could be prevalent in this situation, although there are not too many studies like the PE International one to support that hypothesis.
All in all, I’ve concluded it really is all about what is best for you. If you are looking for a hassle free set up, an artificial tree is the way to go. But if you are like my family, who value Christmas trees as a tradition, that is the obvious route. While there does seem to be a good amount of evidence to support the fact that artificial trees contain toxins, it’s highly doubtful they will bring any harm to a household.
Victoria- I found your article regarding Christmas trees entertaining and relatable! While my family unquestionably goes out and purchases a fresh evergreen tree every year, many of our relatives opt to display an artificial Christmas tree for the holidays. However, I never before considered the separate environmental impacts that each option entails. I simply believed families turned away from real trees because of the daily maintenance and mess they cause. I was surprised to read about all the negative and dangerous components of artificial trees. Additionally, I found your comment about the Carbon Footprint comparison of purchasing a real/ artificial tree interesting. It makes sense that transporting an artificial tree from a foreign nation dispenses much greater damage to the environment than driving down the road to purchase a tree from a local family owned farm. Similarly, I found this persuasive article titled, “ Why buy a real Christmas tree?” that expands upon the environmental benefits that coincide with having a real tree.
This was an interesting blog to read because people have debated between real and fake Christmas trees for years. I never knew how many negative side effects there were in getting a fake Christmas tree, such as how they can contain dangerous toxins. My family has always bought a real Christmas tree, and after reading this article, I definitely would not want to get a fake one.
Here is an article on why real Christmas trees are better for your health than fake ones: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11295995/Real-Christmas-trees-better-for-your-health-than-artificial-ones.html
I thought this was an appropriate post due to the holidays now coming up! My mom has always bought real Christmas trees, whereas my dad always has a fake tree our family puts up every year. Personally, enjoy real trees over fake trees, so this blog helped me try to persuade my dad into buying real trees from now on…even though at in the end there does not seem to be any huge negative impact of a fake tree (but he doesn’t need to know that part). I found another article on Earth 911that displays the benefits and risks of both trees you might enjoy!
If I were you, I would put a paragraph on how each tree effects those with asthma. My two cousins, Lexie and Olivia, both have very bad asthma. Because of this, their parents decided that it was best for the two that they have a fake tree. This article here states why this happens to those with asthma, http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/livingwithit-278085-5.html . The only people that I know with fake trees have them for asthma or other breathing or allergy issues. If this was to have been included I believe it would have really bolstered your article.
I think about interesting aspect that could have been included is if any, how many households have suffered from the chemicals given off by fake Christmas trees, that way we could have an idea of how serious the side effects of fake trees are.
I really liked this topic. Every year my family gets a real christmas tree where everyone goes around putting their own ornaments on it. Mainly for tradition but also because it looks nicer. I never would’ve thought that artificial trees are actually worst than the environment but it of course makes sense because the last thing you want to do (other than polluting the air with more rancid chemicals) is have PVC on your hands when you’re eating or around little kids. Now that I know this I will definitely make sure to continue using real trees for the christmas spirit!
My family has always purchased real Christmas trees. Despite the upkeep they need between watering them and picking up dropped needles, the negative impact for both my family and the environment is far lower than that of an artificial tree. A real tree is going to decompose and new Christmas trees will be planted, whereas an artificial tree needs to be manufactured and will take up space in a landfill. I too was unaware of the chemicals that an artificial tree contained. Here is a website I found that talks about safe artificial Christmas trees! http://thesoftlanding.com/how-to-find-a-non-toxic-artificial-christmas-tree/
This post was very clever. I personally have always had a real tree my whole life. It makes my house smell like pine, and emits a good and positive energy that is needed over the holidays. That is the reason for my family to purchase a real tree. However, there are many families and households who purchase a fake tree. After reading your post, I will steer clear of fake trees. I was not aware of the array of chemicals that these fake trees had. I found your post very interesting and informative, thanks for sharing! Here is an article about a Christmas tree gone wrong: http://patch.com/michigan/plymouth-mi/canton-fire-killed-7-reminder-christmas-tree-danger