Are holiday trees wasteful? Not necessarily.
Live trees versus artificial trees … the question comes up annually for lots of folks!
Our take is that either kind of tree can work within an environmentally friendly lifestyle. It’s just a matter of knowing how to minimize waste with both options.
You can make sustainable choices with any kind of holiday tree.
If an artificial tree is best for you (especially if you already have one), use it over and over.
If you go with a live tree, what matters is how you dispose of it.
If you can find one to rent near you, potted trees that the farm takes back to replant are an easy sustainable option.
If you like caring for trees, consider buying a potted one to grow and bring indoors for up to two weeks every holiday season.
Let’s look closer at the things to think about for each type of tree—live cut, artificial, and potted—plus alternative ways to create a new tree tradition.
Live cut trees
If you choose a live tree, erase any guilt you have about cutting it down. Experts like Bill Ulfelder, executive director of the Nature Conservancy in New York, who has a master’s degree in forestry, say live trees can be enjoyed sustainably.
He told the Washington Post, “Trees are a renewable resource. When they’re being cut, they’re being harvested in ways that they’re being replanted, so it’s a great renewable resource that provides lots of environmental, conservation and nature benefits.”
These benefits include providing clean air, serving as wildlife habitats, improving water quality, slowing erosion, and preserving green spaces. Many are grown on hilly land that isn’t useful for other crops.
What’s most important is how you eventually dispose of your tree. If it ends up in the landfill, the methane released during decomposition will have environmental impact that could’ve been avoided.
At the end of a live tree’s use, consider these waste-less options:
Participate in a local tree recycling program, where it will be reused, likely as mulch. Some places where you buy trees even take them back.
If you have a wood chipper, turn it into mulch yourself.
If you’re crafty, use the needles and trunk for projects.
Donate the tree to a local organization who will repurpose it for environmental projects such as sheltering wildlife.
Secure it in your yard in a sheltered spot to provide a cozy winter spot for your small-mammal neighbors.
Artificial trees
Artificial trees are appealing because they require no care, they “live” forever, and they give you aesthetic choices from realistic to kitschy.
The waste problem with artificial trees comes from what they’re made of, generally PVC. They’re almost never biodegradable, but you may be able to find one made of recycled PVC.
If you already have one, using it over and over is the sustainable choice. If you’re buying, consider a second hand one to extend its usefulness.
There’s some math involved in deciding how long to use an artificial tree before replacing it or switching to another option. A 6.5 foot artificial tree is responsible for about 40kg of emissions, so that’s the number you want to balance out.
Earth.org reports that live cut trees have an average carbon footprint of 3.5kg of carbon dioxide if they avoid the landfill. In the landfill, their carbon footprint quadruples to 16kg.
So, if you use your 6.5-foot artificial tree for 12 years, your impact is about the same as buying a live tree and responsibly disposing of it every year for those same years.
Potted trees
Potted trees have gained popularity in recent years. In many areas, you can rent one from a local farm that plants them at the end of the season.
They’re a great option for the green thumbed among us, too. You can buy one and keep it potted long term, tending to its needs throughout the year and decorating it every holiday season.
If a potted tree appeals to you, make sure to learn about tree care—this article from Sunset magazine has tips. For starters, they shouldn’t stay indoors for more than about two weeks.
Traditional tree alternatives
Beyond traditional options, you can get creative with waste-less ideas like these:
Decorate an outdoor tree you can see through a window
Decorate an indoor potted plant (or a few!)
Make a pyramid of books or other materials you already have and string lights around them
Create wall art in the shape of a tree using festive washi tape
Make a wooden dowel tree to hang your ornaments from
The big takeaway
A potted tree is the most sustainable holiday option as long as the tree is taken care of and planted at the end of its indoor use. If you already have an artificial tree, keep it and use it for about 12 years. If you don’t already have one, a live tree is more sustainable—as long as it doesn’t end up in the landfill. Alternatively, buy a second-hand one and add more years to its life.
