Selecting Christmas trees is a tradition many families enjoy.  For some, it brings them together, but for other families, the debate rages:  what kind of tree should we get?  Real or fake?

Synthetic trees do not spew pine needles everywhere, and they last for years, so they seem better. However, there is much more to it than that.

“The main raw material for fake Christmas trees is both non-renewable and polluting, and you can’t recycle it. Furthermore, PVC production results in the unhealthy emission of a number of carcinogens, such as dioxin, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride,” said ZME Science.

PVC, polyvinyl chloride, by both an environmental and health position, PVC is the most toxic plastic because vinyl chloride is known as a human pollutant, according to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Lead is often used to help produce the needles which ends up making contact with the tree quite unsafe.

“I do not like it [synthetic tree] because it is a replica of the real thing, and the real thing is better, most of the time, than fakes,” said Byron Harris, freshman.

Typical artificial trees last ten years, but some have only a three to five year warranty, so if you do happen to invest in one, make sure to read the label thoroughly.

Because of the large demand for real trees, about three are planted in place of each tree cut down. This causes more oxygen in the air, making it easier to breathe and healthier for all.

There is nothing like the smell of fresh pine needles, and even though they can get everywhere, they still make a home smell nice.