ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – December is here, and many families are getting ready to put up the Christmas tree. Before it goes in the stand, there’s the yearly question: real or artificial? Now, a new consideration has been added to the debate: which is better for the environment?
For some, the tradition of a real tree is unbeatable. Wayne Britts says he prefers the real thing. “I like the real trees. I’m not fake for Christmas, so I really appreciate the real trees,” he said.
Others see benefits in both. Carolyn Schneider likes the smell of a real tree but appreciates the low maintenance of an artificial one. “I like both … the real ones smell wonderful, but they fall all over the house and the artificial ones don’t,” she said.
Experts at Virginia Tech are looking at the environmental footprint of each option. Jennifer Russell, associate professor in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, says artificial trees have the biggest impact at the start of their life, from raw material extraction and manufacturing. Real trees, meanwhile, require land and fertilizer to grow, but they also absorb carbon dioxide during their growth.
“When we compare these two things, what we’re really thinking about is one artificial tree used for seven or ten years versus seven or ten individual real trees,” Russell said. “That’s where we start to see the benefit of artificial trees. When you use them longer, that’s when they become environmentally preferable to a real tree.”
Disposal also plays a role. Real trees can be composted or mulched, returning nutrients to the soil. Artificial trees, however, often end up in landfills once discarded, where they do not break down.
Russell notes every product has a life cycle, it comes from somewhere and eventually goes somewhere after use. Understanding the full life cycle of a tree can help families make more sustainable choices.
“Choosing artificial or real Christmas trees is very personal for every family for a variety of reasons,” Russell said. “We don’t frame this as one being better than the other. Instead, what we do is we learn from these life cycle analyses about how to minimize your impact, whichever path you take.”
So as families add science to the annual holiday debate, the decision may come down to one question: will you reuse the same tree for years, or do you prefer the tradition of picking out a fresh one each season?
Copyright 2025 WDBJ. All rights reserved.
Leave a Reply