Daily Echo Christmas tree guide: Fake or real trees?

Brits tend to love the idea of a real Christmas tree – but not so many of us are keen on the realities of dragging a 7ft Norway Spruce through the house and leaving needles all over the place - so should we buy artificial or real trees?

Here is the Daily Echo’s tree-mendous artificial Christmas tree guide to help you see the artificial wood through the trees:

ARTIFICIAL TREES:

Some people are repulsed at the idea of a plastic tree, but the reality is that a quality faux fur can actually last longer.

A spokesperson from Friends of the Earth said: “The impact of a real Christmas tree cannot be taken away by a manufactured equivalent. Sometimes the convenience of using plastic isn’t worth it.”

More than five million Christmas trees are wasted every year in the UK according to the group, however it is artificial trees that are actually more sustainable as they can be reused for up to 10 years at a time.

Kelty Caston, co-founder of the Christmas Forest, a tree retailer based in Richmond in London, added: “You will have created a carbon deficit approximately equal to having a fresh real tree each year and recycling it in the normal way.’

“So if you use an artificial tree for 11 years you are in credit.”

Benefits of artificial trees:

1) Easy to transport - artificial Christmas trees are relatively light versus their size, larger trees break down into separate pieces for storage and the trees are boxed, all of which makes transporting them home an easy task.

2) Safer - artificial Christmas trees are fashioned from flame retardant materials making them fire resistant.

3) Easier to decorate - artificial Christmas trees have perfect symmetry and balance which makes hanging decorations easier.

4) Allergy resistant - more than 50 different moulds have been found on real Christmas trees and they can be responsible for triggering cold-like symptoms and asthma attacks.

5) Longevity - An artificial tree lasts longer and can last up to ten years.

REAL TREES:

Around six million real trees are sold in the UK every year and typically are more expensive than artificial trees.

But real trees can often be seen to be better for the environment and often for your health than artificial Christmas trees, according to environmental groups.

A spokesperson for the Sierra Club, an environmental agricultural campaign group, said: “A real tree is a renewable resource, whereas a fake tree is usually made from plastic, which is derived from oil, a non-renewable resource.

“The real tree can be recycled as mulch, compost, or wildlife shelter, whereas the fake tree can’t.”

The group added that real trees also absorb carbon dioxide while they grow, which helps to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Picking out a real Christmas tree is also a memorable event, with the British National Christmas Tree Growers Association saying that “picking out a real Christmas tree is a much more memorable experience, akin to adopting a puppy”.

Harry Brightwell, association secretary said: “We encourage the buying of a real tree as a memorable family event.

“The average full height tree you eventually purchase for your home will have been growing for around ten to 12 years.”

Benefits of real trees:

1) Ability to shear it - if a real Christmas tree doesn’t quite fit into the corner of your room, you can simply grab your shears and do some trimming.

2) Real trees have got the look - real trees represent Christmas the true meaning of Christmas more, according to Sam Layle, co-owner of Pines and Needles.

3) Real trees are better for the environment - real trees have much lower carbon footprints than fake ones, according to the Carbon Trust.

4) The ability to turn a fake tree into compost - a real tree can be mulched down into compost at the end of its life.

5) Real trees are good for the economy - The British Christmas Tree Growers Association says they provide employment in the agricultural sector.