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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.

If you’re in the market for a real tree, here are some greener options.

Good – buy a local tree that comes from a Christmas tree farm. This way, you’re not purchasing a tree that has hundreds of miles of transportation pollutants associated with it.

Better – Buy a local tree that comes from an organic Christmas tree farm. You have all the same advantages of the good option with the added benefit that no harmful pesticides, insecticides or fertilizers were used to grow your tree. This is healthier for you and the environment. There are a few organic Christmas tree farms around the country. You can see if there’s one close to you at this Web site.

Best - If you have a place in your yard, plant at least one Christmas tree each year and don’t use insecticides, pesticides or fertilizers.

Quick Tip: After the holidays, many local governments have programs where you can drop your tree off at a collection spot and they will be shredded into mulch.

Did you know? One acre of Christmas trees creates enough oxygen to meet the daily requirements of 18 people.