What Are Artificial Christmas Trees?

Artificial Tree Materials

• Artificial Christmas trees are typically made from polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, which is a plastic. Some artificial trees may contain lead. You can contact the manufacturer to find out whether your tree contains lead, or you can order a test kit from the Community Environmental Health Resource Center through the Alliance for Healthy Homes. You do not want an artificial tree with lead in your home, especially if you have children. Place an artificial tree away from heat and sunlight. This reduces PVC degradation, which leads to the release of lead.

Benefits of Artificial Trees

• People like artificial trees for various reasons. Real Christmas trees can be messy, constantly dropping pine needles all over the floor that that sometimes surface months later. Some people are allergic to real Christmas trees and can tolerate an artificial tree better. Another bonus to buying an artificial tree is that you can use it year after year, which could potentially save you some money. Many artificial trees come pre-lit, which can save you the frustration of untangling tree lights that you may not have packaged well the prior year.

“Green” Trees

• If you want to be environmentally friendly and go green, your better bet is to forgo the artificial tree, get a real one and “treecycle” it after Christmas. Treecycling, a euphemism for recycling a Christmas tree, returns the tree back to the environment as opposed to throwing it in a landfill. After a Christmas tree is recycled, people can use the mulch for landscaping, playground material or for walkways. Some people believe that buying an artificial tree is better for the environment because it saves a real tree from being cut down. Botanist Clint Springer, Ph.D. at Saint Joseph’s University, said in Earth 911 that the whole footprint of the PVC tree is the problem. Manufacturing PVC requires petroleum, which is a non-renewable and carbon-emitting resource.

Types of Artificial Trees

• Artificial trees have come a long way since the first toilet bowl brush types and the later 1960s silver aluminum style artificial trees. As of 2011, you can buy any sort of artificial tree that meets your fancy. “Good Housekeeping” magazine’s favorite artificial tree is a 7.5-foot pre-lit Balsam Hill fir look-alike with a true green color and an extra electrical connection for a topper. It also comes with storage bags. Consumers who are more whimsical might like a pink and purple tinsel tree, a pre-lit white tree or even a fiber optic Christmas tree.