According to a recent article published by Live Science, buying a real Christmas tree is more environmentally sustainable than buying a fake tree.  Although some might assume that cutting down millions of trees each year contributes to deforestation, this overlooks the fact that these trees are grown specifically for the purpose of being cut down and that the area will be continually replanted.  Also, while the trees are growing they help clean carbon dioxide out of the air, and after Christmas they naturally decompose.  Artificial trees, on the other hand, are made from plastic, which is a petroleum derivative.  At the end of their lifecycle, these trees will take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills.  Also, most artificial Christmas trees are produced in China and then shipped to America, incurring an even bigger carbon footprint.

Of course, real and fake are not the only option when it comes to a Christmas tree.  Going without a tree allows you to circumvent the issue entirely, though it does require you to flout tradition.  If you do pursue this option, consider making a tree out of repurposed items, like this one, made entirely from water bottles.  If you just can’t live without a tree, search the internet for a local retailer of “plantable” Christmas trees.  These live trees come with their roots intact and can be displayed in your home until after Christmas, when you and your family, or the company you purchased it from can then replant it.