The Christmas tree is probably the most timeless and oldest tradition that everyone participates in. I have always had a bright, warm Christmas tree in the house since I was a younger. My family, along with many other families in the world, cannot pass up one Christmas without the festivities of the iconic decoration. Christmas tree decorating is a time of family bonding and reminiscing about all the past events in the year. Despite the joy of a Christmas tree, the world is torn up between two choices: a fake or real tree. Familiarize yourself with both sides of the debate and decide for yourself what the greener choice is.

The biggest argument for fake trees would be that cutting down real Christmas trees would harm the environment. Between 25 and 30 million real Christmas trees are sold per year so fake tree activists argue that they contribute to deforestation. According to Seattle News, about 949,750 acres are lost to deforestation all in the matter of a year. So, it is understandable why real Christmas trees could add to deforestation. However, the impacts are not as big as fake tree activists put them to be. They have rather been blown out of proportion.

Deforestation has to be credited to mining, population increases, commercial agriculture and plant products, rather than real Christmas trees. According to Help Save Nature, commercial agriculture alone accounts for about 32 percent of all the deforestation in the United States. Real Christmas trees take up about 350,000 acres of land. It is a big number, but you have to consider the reusable factor to these farms. After all, new seeds are planted again to get ready for the next season. Also, Christmas tree season only comes once a year! The trees render many advantages as they are getting ready to harvest. Christmas trees clean the air, provide habitat for animals, and even provide watersheds!

But wait! Realtree activists also have arguments against why a fake tree would be bad. The most popular argument for realtree influencers has to be about chemical factors: fake Christmas trees are fire hazards and bad for the environment. It is completely understandable. According to the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York, “...it (fake tree) is estimated they will take over 500 years to degrade, making them a burden on the environment for centuries to come…” Studies have shown that the chemicals that are used in artificial trees lead to some causes of cancer and damages in the immune functions. The chemicals are also shown to “impair the development of children”!
So now that both sides of the debate are clear, decide for yourself! Are you team fake Christmas tree or team real Christmas tree?

<Eunice Kim / Cypress HS 9th>