Sustainable Christmas Tree Ideas For an Eco-friendly Holiday
A 2017 Survey found 81% of Christmas trees displayed in American households are artificial. The topic of sustainable Christmas trees isn’t as simple as buying a real one instead of a fake one. Sometimes getting a real tree can have it’s own problems with the environment. Here are some pros and cons to consider.
What is the most environmentally friendly Christmas tree?
1. Real Christmas Trees
- Pros:
- Real trees are biodegradable. When trees decompose, they release nutrients back in the environment.
- They absorb carbon dioxide while growing. Reducing carbon dioxide levels helps to limit climate change.
- Many are grown on sustainable farms. This means new trees are planted to replace harvested ones.
- Cons:
- If Christmas trees have to be transported, that results in emissions from vehicles being released the atmosphere. Transportation accounts for 28 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
- Pesticides and fertilizers used in some tree farms can harm the environment.
Tips for Eco-Friendliness:
- Buy Christmas trees from local farms to reduce transportation emissions.
- Look for trees that free of pesticides.
- Recycle or compost the tree when you’re done with it.
2. Artificial Christmas Trees
- Pros:
- Artificial trees can be reused for many years.
- With less Christmas trees being cut down, we can more carbon dioxide being absorbed by them.
- Cons:
- There’s no getting around the fact that Artificial trees are made from plastic. Plastic is produced from fossil views, which emits a large amount of greenhouse gases.
- Most artificial Christmas are shipped from China, causing more greenhouse gas emissions.
- Plastic trees typically end up in landfills. This contributes to more toxic chemicals in our soil and water.
While both options have their drawbacks, it’s generally best to stick with real trees. You just need to make sure you buy them in person, and recycle them when they’re no longer being used.
As of November 2025, due to tariffs on Chinese imports, buying a real tree may be more affordable right now. If you’re not interested in a buying a real or fake Christmas tree from a farm, here are some other options you can consider.
1. Potted trees
A potted tree can also be a cheaper alternative. A few things you should keep in mind when shopping for one are:
- Pick a tree that fits with your climate
- Keep it watered
- Use smaller Christmas light bulbs so heat doesn’t damage it
Check out other tips to consider when caring for your potted Christmas tree. After the holidays, you can try planting the tree outside.
2. Book tree
Believe it or not, you can put together a Christmas tree out of your favorite books. It’s just a matter of using your heavier books first to start a pyramid.
As you go higher, use lighter and lighter books. Here’s a YouTube video that you can watch to see how it works.
3. Fallen branch Christmas tree
This eco-friendly tree idea is pretty simple. All you do is take a branch that looks like the shape of a tree and attach it to a tree box.
You can then have fun adding all the decorations you want. Here’s an example of one in the video below.
4. Calendar Christmas Tree
A Redditor came up with a really creative tree idea by using calendar paper and toilet paper. The end result was quite impressive. You can see the tree and also get instructions on how you can make it.
5. Ladder tree
This may be the easiest eco-friendly tree alternative yet. All you do is put a ladder in your home and hang lights on it. Very little effort involved.
What to do with an artificial tree
Many of you reading this have probably purchased an artificial tree at least once. If you still have it, then perhaps it’s best to use it as long as you can.
Once you’re no longer interested in having it, give it away to someone for free. That way it can continue to be used.
If you don’t have a Christmas tree yet, I encourage you to consider buying a real tree. If you can’t find one you can afford, consider one of the eco-friendly alternatives above to help protect the environment.
