• Where do they come from?
• What are the environmental advantages?
• What is the lifespan of real vs. fake trees?
• Are real and fake trees biodegradable?
• Are there any health side effects between real and fake trees?
• Are fake trees really fireproof?

Where do they come from?

i) Real Christmas trees are plantation grown on American family farms, making an important economic contribution to many rural communities in the United States.

ii) Fake Christmas trees are made in Korea, Taiwan, and China. Importing artificial trees contribute to the US trade deficit.

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What are the environmental advantages?

i) Real Christmas trees absorb carbon dioxide and other harmful “greenhouse” gases and release fresh oxygen into the air. A Real Christmas tree has a fragrance beyond compare.

ii) Fake Christmas trees are made from non-renewable plastics. The manufacture of petroleum-based plastics use up natural resources. Once used, they are gone forever.

iii) Fake Christmas trees use manufacturing of both plastic and metal components that consume energy and create pollution.

iv) One acre of Real Christmas trees provides the daily oxygen requirement for 18 people. There are about 500,000 acres of Christmas trees in the US which collectively provide oxygen for 9 million people daily.

v) For every real tree harvested, another one is planted in its place to ensure a steady supply year after year. Christmas tree fields support turkey, quail, songbirds, rabbits and deer.

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i) The average use of a Fake Christmas tree is only 6 or 7 years. Eventually, they all go to the landfill as garbage.

ii) When planted outside after the Holidays, balled and burlaped Real Christmas trees temper winds, suppress loud sounds, filter dust, moderate temperature, and dissipate odors for decades after Christmas.

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Are real and fake trees biodegradable?

i) Fake Christmas trees are not biodegradable. The plastics and metals that they contain, including lead, will remain in our landfills for centuries.

ii) Real Christmas trees area an all-American renewable, recyclable resource. After the holidays, Real trees are chipped into biodegradable mulch, which replenishes soil in landscapes, parks, and schools. Most communities offer recycling programs.

iii) Recycled Real Christmas trees are also used as wind and water barriers at beaches and river beds to fight sand and soil erosion. They protect our water supplies, and provide refuge for wildlife. When sunk in ponds, they provide excellent refuge and feeding areas for fish.

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i) Some consumers have suffered an allergic reaction to materials in their Fake trees.

ii) Some consumers are allergic to dust that accumulates on surfaces of Real trees grown outside. You can wash most allergens off by spraying the tree with water before bringing it inside.

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i) No! The artificial tree, which was advertised as “flame retardant,” did resist the flames for an amount of time, but then was engulfed in flames and projected significant heat and toxic smoke, containing hydrogen chloride gas and dioxin.

ii) The safest Christmas tree is a fresh, well-watered tree. A Real tree has never started a fire. Faulty Christmas lights, candles, and fireplaces can start tree fires.

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