A real tree or an artificial tree - that is the question...

I think many of us are going to be welcoming Christmas early into homes this year to bring some much needed sparkle and cheer to what has been a challenging 2020.

Since having children in our house we have always opted for a real tree (pre children we sometimes opted for a beautiful sawn branch from the woods behind us). However, I cannot help but be hit with a rush of guilt thinking about it being sawn down for our enjoyment, so this year I thought i'd do a little research into what really is the "greenest" option, real vs.artificial.

Most artificial trees are made from plastic which is a product of oil, and it is this which creates it's carbon footprint on top of the frequent shipping from afar to get them to the shops in the UK. A 6.5ft artificial tree has an estimated carbon footprint of an equivalent 40kg of greenhouse gas emissions. Even if a tree is kept for 10 years or more, when it comes to disposal there are more problems. These pvc trees are almost impossible to recycle. So if you already have an artificial tree, use it for as long as possible, or if you need a new one, try and source a second hand one to reuse the plastic rather than have it end in landfill.

A real tree that is chipped and recycled, or grown in the garden after Christmas can actually produce negative emissions. BUT if it ends up in landfill it could produce a whooping 16kg of carbon emissions as it decomposes and produces methane which is 25 x stronger than carbon dioxide. Also try and source your real tree from a local grower so you know there are reduced transporting emissions (some are FSC certified). So although it may seem counterintuitive to be cutting down a tree, there are approximately 100m trees grown in the UK specifically for Christmas at any one time, benefiting the environment, plus many are not cut and remain growing for many years.

So, if you already have an artificial tree, keep it for as long as it brings cheer. If you are opting for a real tree, think carefully about where you buy from and also how it is disposed of. Make the right choices and your real tree could become a climate positive choice.