The Nature Conservancy recommends opting for a real Christmas tree, since most plastic trees aren’t biodegradable or easily recyclable. Tree farms give back to the planet by providing wildlife habitat, keeping soil healthy, and absorbing carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen for cleaner air. If a real tree isn’t an option for you, choose a plastic tree that you’ll be able to use for 10+ years — that’s the amount of time it’ll take to even out the carbon footprint impact created.

Here is the link to Mass.gov’s suggestion for farms that sell Christmas trees in Massachusetts: massnrc.org/farmlocator/map.aspx.  Also, Hopestill Farm–an organic farm in Sherborn–allows you to cut your own.