It’s never too early to start planning for Christmas, right? But do you buy a real or artificial Christmas tree this year? People definitely have varying opinions on which they like better, but if you’re looking for the most environmentally friendly Christmas tree, you have to go with a real tree.
We are real tree fans here at Glover Nursery for many reasons, one being: nothing beats the smell of a real, freshly cut Christmas tree. Christmas candles come close, but they just don’t cut it (pun intended). Real Christmas trees are also beautiful and come in all shapes and sizes, but beyond that choosing to buy a real Christmas tree has real economic and environmental impacts and it’s all good news!
Are real Christmas trees environmentally friendly?
The short answer is, YES! A real tree is the most environmentally friendly Christmas tree you can purchase! Environmental benefits include improving air quality, preserving green space, supporting American farms and businesses and decreasing your carbon footprint.
Which is more environmentally friendly – real or fake Christmas tree?
Many people erroneously believe that a fake Christmas tree is better for the environment because you can use it year after year. The reality is that there’s no such thing as an environmentally friendly fake Christmas tree. Even if you were to use that ONE fake Christmas tree for the rest of your life you would never be able to get rid of the non-biodegradable plastics and metal toxins that make it up.
And when you’re gone, where do you think that fake tree goes? In a landfill. Unlike a real Christmas tree, a fake Christmass tree is unable to be recycled so even though it won’t look good forever it will be around forever.
This is why your real Christmas tree is so environmentally friendly! Not only can it be recycled, during its lifetime it will actively work to improve our environment by absorbing CO2.
4 Reasons to Buy an Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree
Support Local Farmers and Businesses 
When you choose a real Christmas Tree, you are choosing to support local farmers and businesses instead of big box stores. While 80% of manufactured trees are made in China, 350 million real trees are grown on 15,000 different farms here in the United States. The Christmas tree industry provides approximately 100,000 full-time and part-time jobs every year.
Did You Know? North American Real Christmas Trees are grown in all 50 states! Just google “real Christmas trees near me” and your local Christmas tree farm will pop right up. And if you live in the Salt Lake Valley and want to support Christmas tree lots in Utah, then head right over here to Glover Nursery in West Jordan.
Check Out Our 3 Favorite Christmas Trees here.
Christmas Tree Land Conservation
As we mentioned before, there are about 15,000 farms growing real Christmas trees and they take up around 350,000 acres preserving green space. Christmas trees can grow in soil that is unfit for most other crops. They enrich the soil and help the biome and nutrient base where they are grown by pulling out toxins. Plus you don’t have to fear the Lorax for cutting them down because for every tree that is chopped down at Christmas time 1-3 trees are planted in its place for next time!
How Many Christmas Trees are Planted Each Year?
There’s no way to know the exact number but we do know how many are sold and are able to do a little bit of math! There are about 30 million real Christmas trees sold every year in the United States. Since we know that Christmas tree farms plant between 1 – 3 trees in order to stay sustainable that means that there are somewhere between 30 million and 90 million Christmas trees planted each year!
Christmas Trees Are Good For the Air
Just one acre of a Christmas tree farm provides enough oxygen for 18 people to breathe, every day. This means that the 350,000 acres provide enough oxygen for 6.3 million people per day. That’s a lot of oxygen! Of course while producing oxygen these trees are also absorbing CO2 and other gasses. One tree can absorb 1 ton of CO2 in its lifetime.
Did You Know?: In the nineteenth century Americans would cut their trees by hiking into nearby forests. Now Christmas Tree farms make the practice more sustainable. At Glover Nursery, we work with local Christmas Tree farms that focus on sustainability.
Also check out: Christmas Trees Journey From Farm To Your Home.
Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree Disposal is Possible
There are over 4,000 programs across the country that help people recycle their real Christmas Trees and of the 25-30 million that are bought each year 93% of them are recycled through those programs!
Here in West Jordan where Glover Nursery is located our city offers its residents the opportunity to have their real Christmas trees picked up or dropped off to be composted. You can find details about the West Jordan program here.
Other people opt to buy trees with their roots still intact so they can plant them in the yard after the holiday festivities are over. Ryan talks about the benefits of purchasing a real tree that you can plant in our video here.
Common Questions About Buying an Environmentally-Friendly Christmas Tree
Which Christmas tree is most environmentally friendly?
By far the most environmentally friendly Christmas tree is a real one purchased at a local Christmas tree lot, like the ones you’ll find at Glover Nursery.
Are there environmentally friendly artificial Christmas trees?
An artificial or fake Christmas tree is not an environmentally friendly option due to the non-biodegradable plastics and metal toxins that make it up.
Is cutting trees eco-friendly?
Here at Glover Nursery we work with local farmers and growers who have sustainable Christmas tree lots. This means for every tree they cut down 1 to 3 more are planted.
How far in advance should I get a real Christmas tree?
At Glover Nursery we start selling real Christmas trees right after Thanksgiving! With proper watering your real tree can last up to 6 weeks.
What is the best real Christmas tree to buy?
A Christmas tree is a very personal decision and everyone has their unique favorites! Our Christmas Tree lot at Glover Nursery typically stocks 5 to 6 different varieties of Christmas trees for you to choose from.
Did you know that Ryan Glover personally travels to our local Christmas tree farms each year to hand pick the best of the best? It’s true! You can see our favorite varieties of Christmas trees here.
What is the best Christmas tree for not dropping its needles?
All Christmas trees will eventually drop their needles. But a Christmas tree that is healthy and cared for in transport will last a good deal longer than one that isn’t. This is why we work with a select number of local Christmas tree farms to make sure when you find your Christmas tree at Glover Nursery it’s one that will last the season (as long as you continue to water it).
To tie this up in a big Christmas bow, real trees are a renewable and recyclable source, artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics and even metal toxins. No matter how many times you use the tree, it’s still going to end up in a landfill. To make the most environmentally friendly Christmas tree option visit Glover Nursery or a local tree lot near you to pick up a real tree this year.
Did You Know?: The carbon footprint of an artificial tree is about 40kg of C02 compared to a real tree’s which would have a carbon footprint of 3.5 kg-16kg of C02 depending on how you dispose of it.
Where to Buy Environmentally-Friendly Christmas Trees in Utah
- Glover Nursery in West Jordan
We’d love to have you at Glover Nursery in West Jordan. Ryan Glover takes a trip each summer to our preferred Christmas tree lots and picks out the best of the best trees to make their way to our nursery for our Christmas tree lot.
We even deliver! If you don’t have time to stop by the lot or want to surprise friends or family with a fresh eco-friendly Christmas tree click here to schedule a delivery.
- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
If you want an old fashioned cut your own tree down experience you can get a permit from the Bureau of Land Management. Visit their website for details here.
We are excited to get our Christmas trees this year and help you pick out the perfect tree for your home. Start an eco-friendly tradition this holiday season with a living tree. Our family would love to help you with this wonderful tradition.
Stay up to date on when the trees arrive at our garden center in West Jordan by signing up for our newsletter.
