Pine, Fir, Or PVC: What Are The Most Sustainable Christmas Trees?

Christmas tree sustainability is trickier than getting the star on top of a 10-foot tree. Many synthetic options are made from harmful plastics that are hard to recycle. A real tree may seem like a better alternative, but they can be damaging without proper disposal and sustainable sourcing.

But don’t hit the eggnog just yet. We want to keep you in good holiday spirits, so we compiled everything you need to know about the most sustainable Christmas trees—what to look for, what to avoid, and how to dispose of them when the sustainable Christmas season is done.

Are Artificial Christmas Trees Sustainable?

According to 2023 polling data from the American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA), nearly 77% of those displaying a Christmas tree will use an artificial tree.

A 6.5ft synthetic Christmas tree can produce around 40kg of GHG emissions—which is more than double that of a real tree that spends its glory days in a landfill. The majority of the carbon footprint comes from manufacturing. Most fake Christmas trees are made from plastic. And not just any plastic, but polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the worse and most toxic plastic around and one that thus is rarely recycled.

Fake trees also produce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and cardboard or plastic packaging waste.

This means if you’re looking for an eco-friendly fake Christmas tree, you’ll need to branch out and open your mind to different aesthetics and builds (hint: we’ll give you some options later). At the very least, pick a PVC-free Christmas tree.

Are Real Christmas Trees Sustainable?

Real trees are typically fir and a crop like any vegetable you might put in a salad. An average 6–7 foot tree can take under a decade to mature and have a positive environmental impact, like cleaning the air and providing habitats for wildlife.

However, not all eco-friendly Christmas trees are created equally, and you’ll want to ensure yours are sustainably sourced. There are several sustainable tree farms across the United States, but most come from Oregon and North Carolina. Shop from local businesses if you can though, as this will reduce carbon emissions further and boost your local economy. Look for markings from the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). These are the marks of an eco Christmas tree with minimal fertilizers.

Sustainable Potted Christmas Trees

Better yet, plant a tree that stays alike after the holiday season is over. Potted living Christmas trees can be reused and planted in the garden after the holiday season ends, between which they’ll continue to clean and air and sequester carbon.

Whatever you do, please don’t go out and cut down a Christmas tree in the wild yourself. This not only takes away some needed carbon sequestering power, but may disrupt an interlinked ecosystem and lead to biodiversity loss. And why cut down a wild tree when only 30 million of the 350–500 million trees on US tree farms are harvested each year?

Continue To Use Your Old Tree

It’s true—the production and transportation of plastic trees do produce greenhouse gas emissions. However, using an artificial Christmas tree you already own for as long as possible can lessen that environmental impact. Depending on the materials, you might need to use it for over 20 years to keep its environmental impact lower than purchasing a real tree each year.

So don’t feel bad if you have a plastic tree tucked away somewhere. Instead, keep it well maintained to last long enough to make the purchase worth it.

Rent A Christmas Tree

If you want a real, festive Christmas tree each season but don’t want to harm the environment, consider sustainable Christmas tree rentals that allow you to purchase and use a living tree for a set period. The time frame varies, but usually lasts from early December to early January. The farm will then replant and take care of the reusable Christmas trees when they’re returned. In fact, some locations will allow you to reserve the same tree for the next season.

Here are some websites offering this new sustainable alternative to Christmas trees. Some are locationally specific, but they’ll give you a place to start your search.

• Rent-A-Christmas
• Easy Treezy (10 points from us for the name)
• RentXmasTree (San Francisco Bay Area & Santa Cruz only)
• The Living Christmas Company (Southern California only)

Purchase Second Hand

Secondhand options can make a tremendously sustainable fake Christmas tree, especially if you don’t have nearby farms for the real thing. Purchasing previously owned plastic trees prevents additional manufacturing, transportation, and packaging waste. It also ensures the artificial tree doesn’t rot in a landfill.

Best of all, second hand stores like eBay and Facebook Marketplace are full of them, in just about every shape, size, and color you could ever want.

Decorate Trees & Plants You have

Take a peek into your front or backyard if you need eco-friendly Christmas tree alternatives. If you have one, you can decorate a living tree outside. You don’t need to cut it down or bring it inside, either. Hang some lights, ornaments, or tinsel on it to spread holiday cheer. It doesn’t have to be a fir or pine—you can decorate a cactus, palm tree, birch, or whatever is there.

Or start a new holiday tradition with treeless Christmas trees and dress up an existing a house plant with lightweight ornaments and garland. Larger plants like ficus trees are perfect for this. If you have a whole house full of plants, you could decorate multiple plants across your home if you have enough ornaments. Or, if you have children or multiple people living in the house, they could get their plant and personalize it.

This is one of the most environmentally friendly Christmas trees, as you’re using what you already have and aren’t contributing any additional waste.

Make DIY Christmas Trees

Just like DIY Christmas decorations, there are countless ideas and materials you can use to have a holly jolly homemade Christmas tree. How about a wooden tree made from scrap lumber? Or those cardboard boxes you’ve been saving?

The ideas are endless. Use image boards like Pinterest or find groups online if you need inspiration.

What if you want something reusable, all-natural, but that you also don’t have to remember to water after New Year’s? Lucky for you, there are tons of new brands out there pioneering (or should we say, pine-oneering?) a new market of sustainable reusable Christmas trees, mostly made of wood.

• Welcome To The Woodshop makes wooden Christmas trees out of salvaged wood from their woodshop in Montgomery County, PA.
• LakaLuka is base out of Xánthi, Greece, making small and portable trees out of lightweight sheets of 100% natural birchwood. They’re a favorite for easy-to-assemble and disassemble designs. You can take the tree apart when the holiday season ends and store it flat underneath a bed or in a cupboard for next year.
• Modern Pine Tree puts a minimalist chic on the Christmas season with their unfinished birch dowl non-toxic Christmas tree range. Each option is light yet sturdy enough to hand all your favorite ornaments.
• Primitive Millworks doesn’t built the tree themselves; they help you do it by providing digital plans and instructions for their unique, geometrically eye-catching designs, like the Wooden Spiral Tree.

Eco-friendly Christmas tree ideas don’t stop at the materials or decorations; they also matter how you dispose of them. Whether you have a fake tree or a Douglas Fir, several options are available.

Artificial Trees

Most artificial trees have a large carbon footprint, as they can’t be recycled and end up in landfills. But there are more sustainable options when it comes to getting rid of a plastic Christmas tree.

• Pass it on: First ask your friends or family to see if they need a new tree.
• Donate it to local charities: You can search your community for local charities or thrift shops that will take your used tree. This will hopefully give it a longer lifespan and mitigate its environmental harm.
• Sell it: Like donating, you can sell your secondhand tree via yardsale, craigslist, or social media. This will extend its lifespan and give it to someone who can use it longer.
• Recycle what you can: Many artificial trees have different components, like metal bases and arms. These parts may be recyclable, or you may be able to give them to junk yards for further processing. This can be an excellent way to salvage what you can.
• Repurpose it: If you have an artistic side, you can repurpose some of the different parts into new projects. For example, you might make other holiday decorations with the tree branches or the stand.

Real Christmas Trees

How you recycle your living Christmas tree is the most significant factor that determines its environmental impact. Real trees that end up in landfills can be detrimental to the environment. This is because the tree decomposes and produces methane gas, which is 26 times more harmful than CO2 in terms of climate change potential.

Instead, consult your local community and authorities to see if they have a collection service for living Christmas trees. They can shred the tree and spread the chips across gardens and parks, which is the most environmentally friendly option. Some recycling centers and landfills will have a designated Christmas tree compost pile. Or you can chop up the tree and use it as firewood if you have the option.

Alternatively, if you opt for a potted tree that you don’t have to return, you can continue growing it in your sustainable garden. This will extend its lifespan and ensure it has a negligible or positive impact on the environment.