18 Ways To Celebrate an Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Christmas

There’s no better answer for how to have a green Christmas than with a literal green live Christmas tree. But a real Christmas tree isn’t always the best choice. Check out what other factors to consider when choosing the most sustainable Christmas tree. TL;DR: When harvested responsibly from a certified sustainable (like the FSC) source or small, organic farm, it can be (we share a list of organic and non-toxic farms in our guide).

We know going out and cutting down your own tree is tradition for many, but we really can’t stress enough how important it is to leave these young, carbon sequestering trees in the wild.

Out of the 350 to 500 million growing trees on tree farms across the U.S, only 30 million trees are harvested each year. It may seem counterintuitive, but by opting for a real tree, and disposing of it properly (covered in our guide linked above), you can keep sustainable tree farms in business and keep healthy forests alive.

Potted trees are also a good option because after the season, they can be replanted and given a new lease on life. Whether you buy a potted Christmas tree, or rent one at a local dealer, you will drastically reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.

Clearly, artificial trees don’t make the nice list. Still, we aren’t against every fake tree. A plastic free Christmas tree could be the only option for people who have tree allergies or simply don’t want the mess of real trees. We’d recommend looking for one secondhand first and using it for many, many years.

Alternatively, Welcome To The Wood Shop has incredibly unique and minimalist tree options made from fresh and salvaged wood materials.