By Home Style Furniture
It’s that time again! Every year, the real versus artificial Christmas tree debate repeats itself. Just decades ago, families only had two options to choose from; a real pine or fir tree. This was true until an artificial tree was created from brush bristles in the 1930s, which served as a prototype for the modern artificial tree. Let’s consider the assertions for and against both real and artificial trees.
The Artificial Tree:
One of the main reasons people are inclined to purchase an artificial tree is out of guilt. The idea of having to cut down a new tree every year can ruin the holidays for some.
Due to the present economic climate, it seems that investing in an artificial tree is more appealing to the consumer rather than the annually purchase of a real Christmas tree. In addition, convenience is another deciding factor. An artificial tree is low maintenance as it does not necessitate any watering, nor does it shed pine needles on the floor.
Contrary to the popular belief which states that the artificial tree has a positive impact on the environment, sadly they have a greater negative impact when all aspects of their life cycle are considered. Today’s artificial trees are frequently manufactured with metal and PVC, a non-biodegradable plastic. Also, many older varieties contain lead, a poisonous substance once used as a stabilizer. Seeing as the PVC contents are non-biodegradable, they will remain in landfills for centuries.
The Real Tree:
Pop culture teaches that cutting down trees is bad for the environment. However, 93% of real trees sold in North America are recycled through more than 4000 programs. “Treecycling” is the leading reason that experts favor this method over their plastic counterparts. It’s a no-brainer: an easy way to return a recyclable and natural source to the environment instead of making it sit in a landfill. In fact, recycled Christmas trees are turned into mulch which is often used for landscaping, gardening, playgrounds, shoreline stabilization, etc.
Despite the aforementioned benefits for the environment, there are associated cons for the consumer. Aside from the argument that a real tree is higher maintenance, there is the fact that they are farmed with agricultural products. This implies that pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are applied to the trees. In an ideal world, trees would be raised organically without using harsh chemicals. Obviously, that would incur higher costs.
So what’s the final verdict? We’ll let you decide.
Content provided by: @tailbase
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