TRENDING SCIENCE: Are natural or artificial Christmas trees more eco-friendly?

The time has come to buy the festive evergreen. More and more climate-conscious consumers are carefully weighing the pros and cons of this purchase.

But the decision is not that easy. “It’s definitely a lot more nuanced and complex than you think,” forest and landscape ecologist Andy Finton told ‘CNN’.Reusing a fake tree every year may seem like the more sustainable solution. However, these trees are usually kept for about 6 years, so “the carbon cost is definitely greater” compared to the natural alternative, Finton explained. “If the artificial trees are used for a longer lifespan, that balance changes. And I’ve read that it would take 20 years for the carbon balance to be about equivalent.” The reason for this is that these trees are normally made of polyvinyl chloride, a widely-used plastic known to negatively impact our health and the environment.

As Christmas trees grow, they gobble up CO2 – the dominant greenhouse gas that warms the earth. If they are cut down, they can release the CO2 they’ve been storing back into the atmosphere.

Years ago, a study aimed to determine the best type of Christmas tree based on environmental considerations. It compared the effect of 1 year of an artificial tree with a single live Christmas tree. The former emitted 8.1 kg of CO2 – the equivalent of driving a car 322 km. The latter emitted 3.1 kg, equal to 125 km.

Christmas trees are big business. Denmark is Europe’s largest exporter of Christmas trees. According to the Danish Christmas Tree Association, about 2 500 growers produce 11 million trees every year. In Belgium, Europe’s second largest exporter, tree producers have an estimated turnover of EUR 35 million. The industry is responsible for about 450 direct and 550 indirect jobs throughout the year.

“What we’re doing by purchasing a natural Christmas tree is supporting local economies, local communities, local farmers and to me, that’s a key part of the conservation equation,” added Finton. “When a tree grower can reap economic benefits from their land, they’re less likely to sell it for development and less likely to convert it to other uses.”

Look around after the holiday season is over. What do you see? Trees scattered or piled up here and there. Some cities and towns pick them up for recycling or composting. The rest end up in landfills where they very slowly decompose and emit methane – a greenhouse gas around 80 times more potent than CO2.The answer remains surprisingly complicated. It really depends on the specific situation, while keeping all of the above in mind. If it’s a live tree, look into recycling options beforehand. In the mood for a plastic or metal one? Make sure to appreciate, enjoy and reuse it for as long as possible.

“It’s a debate, but once you’ve made a decision, you should feel good about your decision, because there’s so many other things we can do in our lives that have an even greater climate impact — such as driving less or advocating for policies that expand renewable energy,” Finton concluded. “Enjoy the holidays and focus on other aspects of your life to reduce the impacts of climate change.”