As December approaches, households across Europe face a familiar festive dilemma: real or artificial tree? The choice is often framed as a simple environmental trade-off, but the reality is more nuanced. The carbon footprint of your Christmas centrepiece depends on factors like where it was grown, how long you use it, and what happens to it in January.
The hidden cost of artificial trees
Plastic trees are often marketed as a one-time purchase that saves trees year after year. But that logic only holds if you keep the same tree for a very long time. According to the Carbon Trust, a typical artificial tree must be used for between seven and twenty years before its carbon footprint drops below that of a real tree. That's a significant commitment, especially when research from 2017 found that 14 per cent of artificial tree buyers in the UK planned to discard theirs after just one season.
“If you’ve got a fake tree already, keep using it – make it last as long as possible,” says Emi Murphy, a tree campaigner at Friends of the Earth. “But look into more environmentally-sound options when it eventually comes to replacing it.” For those in the market for a new artificial tree, the charity recommends checking secondhand platforms or charity shops before buying new.
Real trees: the local and certified advantage
If you prefer the scent of pine and the ritual of a fresh-cut tree, the key is to choose wisely. Look for FSC-certified trees, which guarantee they were grown in an environmentally responsible manner. Equally important is buying locally. A significant share of trees sold across Europe come from commercial plantations in Denmark and Germany, and transporting them long distances adds to their carbon footprint. In 2017, the UK charity Grown in Britain found that €3.3 million worth of imported trees were sold to British consumers, many of whom were unaware of their origin.
Seek out farms near you, or consider companies that deliver from small, sustainable growers. Some even offer trees grown without pesticides, which is an extra bonus for biodiversity.
Renting: a growing trend
For those who want the real thing without the waste, renting a potted tree is gaining traction. London Christmas Tree Rental, a company co-founded by Catherine Loveless and Jonathan Mearns, regularly sells out before the festive season begins. The idea came from a simple observation: “It just felt so wasteful for these beautiful trees to grow just for the sake of three weeks of our pleasure,” Loveless told Euronews Earth.
The service delivers a living, potted tree to your door in early December. You decorate it, enjoy it, and even give it a name. After the holidays, the company collects it and returns it to the farm, where it continues to grow. If you name your tree, there's a chance you'll get the same one back next year. “It will have grown, changed shape slightly over the year and we love the idea of being excited to welcome it into your home like a long lost friend,” Loveless adds.
Similar rental schemes are emerging in other European cities, from Berlin to Amsterdam, as consumers look for ways to reduce their festive footprint.
Disposal matters more than you think
How you dispose of your tree can have a major impact on its overall emissions. Many real trees end up dumped on pavements or in landfills, where they decompose anaerobically and release methane – a greenhouse gas with up to 30 times the warming potential of CO2 over a century. A two-metre tree left to rot in landfill can emit around 16kg of CO2 equivalent.
The Carbon Trust notes that burning or chipping the tree can cut that footprint by up to 80 per cent, bringing it down to just 3.5kg of CO2. Check if your local authority offers a collection service that chips trees for use on pathways or composts them for public green spaces. Many cities across Europe now run such schemes, so a little research can make a big difference.
Artificial trees cannot be recycled, but they can be given a second life. Donate them to community groups, churches, or schools, or sell them online. The greenest option is often the one that keeps a tree in use for as long as possible, whether it's real or plastic.
Ultimately, the most sustainable choice is the one that aligns with your habits. If you're likely to replace a real tree every year, a well-maintained artificial tree used for decades can be a reasonable option. If you prefer the real thing, opt for local, certified trees and ensure they're composted or chipped after the holidays. And if you're open to innovation, renting a living tree might just be the future of festive greenery.
