Scientific American – People often ask which is more sustainable, a real tree or an artificial one, and the answer depends on who you ask and which factors you consider.
When Christmas trees are alive and growing, they pull carbon dioxide from the air, keeping greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere. And the tree’s root systems will continue to store carbon for some time, and new trees are typically planted to continue the cycle.
Artificial trees can last for years and require almost no maintenance. However, they are mostly a petroleum-based product and when you throw one out, it can take hundreds of years to decompose. The No. 1 way to reduce emissions with an artificial tree is to reuse it for years.
