Christmas Tree Facts

There are approximately 30-35 million Real Christmas Trees sold in the U.S. every year. An estimated 175,000 Real Christmas Trees are sold via e-commerce or catalogue and shipped mail-order. North American Real Christmas Trees are grown in all 50 states and Canada. Eighty-five percent (85%) of artificial trees sold in the U.S. are manufactured in China. Real Trees are a renewable, recyclable resource. Artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics and possible metal toxins such as lead. Consumers can locate the nearest recycling program by logging onto www.realchristmastrees.org or calling 1-800-CLEANUP. For every Real Christmas Tree harvested, up to 3 seedlings are planted in its place the following spring. There are about 21,000 Christmas Tree growers in the U.S., and over 100,000 people employed full or part-time in the industry. It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of average retail sale height (6 - 7 feet) or as little as 4 years, but the average growing time is 7 years. The top Christmas Tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington. (See a complete list of all 50 states ranked by several variables.) The top selling Christmas Trees are: balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine and white pine. reprinted from the National Christmas Tree Association website at www.christmastree.org But aren't fake trees better for the environment? No. Most artificial trees are manufactured in China and contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride). In fact, artificial Christmas Trees were recently added to the Center for Health, Environment & Justice's list of household products containing PVC. According to the Children's Health Environmental Coalition, the manufacture of PVC creates and disperses dioxins, which include the most toxic man-made chemical known. Released into air or water, dioxins enter the food chain, where they accumulate in fatty tissues of animals and humans, a potential risk for causing cancer, damaging immune functions and impairing children's development. This issue is especially concerning due to China's weak enforcement of environmental regulations. Delta Farm Press recently addressed China's environmental crisis in this article.