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The Great Tree Debate
Christmas tree farms absorb carbon, keeping CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
The main question when it comes to environmentally smart trees for the holidays seems to be, “What’s better: a fake tree or a real one?”
The disadvantages of a fake tree vastly outweigh a real one. First, they’re made from petrochemicals like PVC and since they can NOT be recycled, they all eventually end their lives in landfills, where they will live on for decades to come. Also, 85 percent of fake trees are manufactured in China and shipped to America, creating enormous amounts of pollutants.
However, if you already have a fake tree, either use it ‘till it looks like the one in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special or while it’s in good shape, donate it to Goodwill, so that a family who can’t afford a real tree can get a great deal on your gently used fake one.
A real tree is the clear “green” winner during the holiday season. There are almost 500,000 acres planted with Christmas trees in the US. Each time a tree is cut, three are planted to insure a replacement. All of these trees absorb carbon throughout their lives, keeping tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year.Read More
