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Which Christmas right around the corner, people are hustling to get their trees but which one is the right one? Continue reading for a short cheat sheet on the pros and cons of cut, artificial and potted trees.

A Real Cut Tree
Pros:

• Real trees usually come from family farms so you would help support the community and a family business over the holiday season
• They smell amazing and truly get you in the holiday spirit
• Can be grown on rocky soil, therefore that land is used to help fight off global warming

Cons:

• Pesticides are often used to warn off bugs and disease…trees that have been contaminated with chemicals are then brought into your home

• Real trees require more maintenance, like the set up, regular watering and needle pick up
• Not every tree is perfect and to find a thick, full tree might be hard to find if you wait too long

An Artificial Tree
Pros:

• This kind of tree is ideal for individuals with allergies…real trees tend to have pollens and molds
• They are reusable year after year!
• They are now extremely convenient and clean. Nearly all the produced trees are easier than ever to assemble and there are no pine needles to cleanup.

Cons:

• Even though they are reusable, they are usually made from non-renewable resources like plastics and aluminum
• About 3 out of every 4 trees are imported to the U.S from China. Purchase artificial trees locally at www.christmasdepot.com and under fair trade conditions
• Even though they look real they don’t smell real

A Potted Tree
Pros:

• Purchase a potted tree and use it this season, plant it and then ax it down and use it for the next!
• You can also use the living tree this year and then pot it in your yard after the holidays to add to your landscape
• You know you are doing well when you have a living tree in your house for a celebration and you plant it outdoors and it continues to live on

Cons:

• Most trees end up dying because of the warmer indoor climate and unfortunately, you can’t revive them by putting them back outside
• If you live in a cold area you might need to store the tree indoors (like in a shed or a garage) so that it doesn’t freeze
• They require a lot of maintenance like watering, grooming and transport

Find out what Live Earth readers did for holiday decorations last year here. And check out the sites below for some more information:
http://www.balancedlivingmag.com/2006/Nov-Dec%2006/O,%20Sustainable%20Christmas%20Tree.htm
http://earthfirst.com/which-is-the-greener-christmas-tree-faux-fresh-cut-or-potted/
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2004/12/how_to_pick_a_g.php