Real vs. fake Christmas trees: Experts debate which one is better for the environment

Pine or plastic — which Christmas tree is better for the planet?

For the eco-conscious, the needling question remains something of a head-scratcher. While artificial firs can be used year after year, they are also made of so-called “toxic” materials that experts have said are bad for the environment.

Getting the real thing, however? Well, that means cutting down trees.

Experts have now weighed in on the debate — turns out, they are fir from united on the sticky subject, with some telling NPR that real trees are the winners, while others say faux is fine, just as long as it’s reused.

Tim O’Connor, executive director of the National Christmas Tree Association, on one hand, pitched that real trees are a “no-brainer” that “are far superior for the environment.”

“Let’s just start with a product of nature versus a product that’s made from oil,” he said.

“If [people] want to do what’s better for the environment, if they want to support a family farmer, if they want to have the kind of Christmas experience for their family that is authentic, that includes something from nature…it’s a pretty simple decision,” O’Connor said.

Meanwhile, the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Darby Hoover revealed to NPR that artificial trees are “made of plastic almost entirely.”

“And the by-far-most-common polymer used to make artificial trees is PVC, polyvinyl chloride, which is a particularly toxic form of plastic that’s toxic in production, use and disposal,” she noted.

But some studies show that artificial trees have their environmental perks so long as they are erected for at least five holiday seasons, NPR reported.

“It doesn’t make business any easier for us, selling more trees when they last so long, but it’s certainly good for the environment,” Mac Harman, the CEO of Balsam Hill, told the outlet, adding that some customers have kept their faux trees for almost 20 years.

Environmental experts, however, beg to differ.

“The common misconception starts in longevity,” Rosa Rivera of the nonprofit One Tree Planted, told ABC News last year.

“Artificial Christmas trees can last many years if they’re well cared for, which kind of seems to make them the obvious sustainable choice, but they do have drawbacks,” she said.

In fact, Christmas tree farms help produce oxygen, and buying locally helps support small, family-owned businesses. Not to mention, the trees can be recycled and turned into mulch, Rivera reminded.

Producing artificial trees, on the other hand, leave behind a large carbon footprint. According to the expert, manufacturing just one faux tree creates 88 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Meanwhile, those who are really serious about minimizing their festive footprint could just plant their own Christmas tree, the NRDC’s Hoover suggested.

“I think the best option is using a plant that’s already in your life or that you want to purchase and have stay in your life,” she said..

“So rather than buying a plant that’s going to be cut down, why not repurpose a tree that’s already on your property or a really fancy potted plant that’s already in your home?”