<p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas;">Thanks for your question! The short answer is that if the choice is being made based upon environmental considerations, there is research evidence to support live trees as having less environmental impact.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas; min-height: 15.0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas;">In a life cycle assessment of live vs. artificial trees it was determined that an artificial tree would need to be used for at least 20 years before the environmental impacts would be less than purchasing a live tree each year.  On average, most artificial trees are kept about 6 years. The full study is available at:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas; color: #0000ff;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ellipsos.ca/site_files/File/Christmas%20Tree%20LCA%20-%20ellipsos.pdf">http://www.ellipsos.ca/site_files/File/Christmas%20Tree%20LCA%20-%20ellipsos.pdf</a></span><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas; min-height: 15.0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas;">In terms of environmental benefits, live trees are often locally available from growers and sellers within the region, trees sequester carbon, are replanted, renewable, biodegradable and non-toxic.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas; min-height: 15.0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas;">Naturally, there are other reasons why people choose artificial trees, including convenience, and if someone is able to keep using the same artificial tree for more than 20 years the environmental impacts may be more in balance.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas; min-height: 15.0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Consolas;"> </p> </p>