Each holiday season, shoppers have the choice of real or artificial Christmas trees. Some people don't realize that the best choice has always been the traditional natural choice. Real Christmas Trees will replenish themselves like any other agricultural crop.

While growing, Real Christmas Trees support life by absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting fresh oxygen. This is a natural process no artificial tree can replicate. In the United States there are approximately one million acres of Christmas trees supplying oxygen and refuge for wildlife. Most Christmas trees are grown on soil that won't support other crops.

Artificial trees are manufactured mostly in foreign factories from a petroleum based product. They are not biodegradable and will remain in land-fills for centuries. The average length of time people use an artificial tree before throwing it away is six to nine years.

Real Christmas trees, are easily recycled. The mulch provides a ground cover preventing weeds from growing and as the mulch decomposes, it provides the nutrients that all plants need.

Before recycling, Christmas trees can be used as a back yard bird feeder, adding color to the winter landscape. Hanging orange slices, suet, and seed will attract the birds. They will come for the food and stay for the shelter in the branches. Some communities use Christmas trees for soil erosion barriers, especially at beaches or river banks and beds. Sunk into private fish ponds trees make an excellent refuge and feeding area for fish.