The green movement has taken a stand on Artificial Christmas Trees and it’s that they’re “not-good”. They 
use oil based raw materials and are essentially non-renewable. In contrast, the Natural Christmas Trees are made from soil, water & sunlight, and are 100% recyclable. Also, instead of a factory the real ones are of course grown on tree farms (and not the result of any deforestation activity as some erroneously believe).
Specifically, some of the benefits of going natural are soil stabilization, oxygen production and wildlife habitat. This last item, in our opinion, is the most significant simply because the life cycle of a tree crop is measured in terms of years. And that is the time needed to establish a full, diverse and sustainable ecosystem. The situation is a little different than say a corn crop that will be harvested in a matter of months from the time the seeds are planted. The detractors to the Natural Christmas Trees however, are primarily concerned over insecticide use, irresponsible soil management practices, biodiversity (or more accurately the lack of) and worker safety.
To address the negative aspects a group known as the Environmentally Conscious Growers was formed. Their mission is to help consumers identify trees grown under environmentally and worker friendly conditions. So to qualify, the farm must maintain standards of wetlands management, insecticide use (controlled but not eliminated), biodiversity, responsible soil management and worker safety. Now in addition to this group, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has developed a grower’s certification that will be based upon the growers performance in terms of soil management , pest control and waterway protection.
Bottom line is that things are getting off the ground as far as identifying the most Environmentally Friendly Christmas Trees. And once consumers are aware, then they will begin voting with their dollars and that is when an entire segment of the market will be supported & grown (in a similar fashion to that undergone with Organic Foods). As far as this season, the only choice offered for most people will be the Fake vs Real Christmas Trees…Time to get real… This is the greenest of the available alternatives. Once again, the best approach is the real one. Enjoy the holidays and live naturally.
Other Related Posts: “Being Organic Means Being Environmentally Conscience“
