Question 1 of 10

The Most Eco-friendly Christmas Tree for You

Among Real, Artificial, Replanted, or Rented

Answer up to 10 quick questions, and we will calculate your 15-year carbon footprint and recommend the most eco-friendly tree for you.

Question 1: What height of Christmas tree are you planning to get (without roots)?

Why this question?

Tree height is the foundation of our carbon math. For artificial trees, every extra foot means significantly more plastic and metal was manufactured and shipped, drastically increasing its carbon cost. For real trees, height tells us exactly how many years the tree spent actively absorbing carbon on the farm, as well as how much heavy wood you have to transport and dispose of.

Question 2: How many miles away are these locations?

Why this question?

Transportation is the hidden carbon cost of a tree. Driving a gas-powered vehicle long distances can actually produce more emissions than the tree itself absorbed while growing. Note that rented trees require two trips—one to pick it up, and one to return it after the holidays.



Question 3: Select the vehicle you will use to transport your tree

Why this question?

Different cars generate different emissions per mile. Connecting directly to the official EPA database allows us to use your precise vehicle profile to replace generic driving averages with accurate math.



Question 4: Additional Vehicle Details for Electric or Plug-in Hybrid Car

Why this question?

Electric vehicles don't have tailpipe emissions, but the electricity used to charge them still carries a carbon footprint. By checking your ZIP code, we can securely connect to climate databases to see exactly how clean your local energy grid is (for example, whether it relies heavily on wind and solar, or natural gas and coal). If you drive a plug-in hybrid, knowing how many miles you drive on battery versus gas lets us perfectly calculate your split footprint!

Plug-in Hybrid Detected (Split Driving Math)



Question 5: If you get a real tree, how will you dispose of it after use?

Why this question?

How you dispose of a cut tree is an important factor in its total carbon footprint. If a tree ends up buried in a landfill, it decomposes without oxygen and releases methane as well as carbon dioxide. On the other hand, having the tree chipped into mulch or composted allows it to break down naturally and safely, keeping its carbon footprint incredibly low.



Question 6: Do you have any allergies to real trees or tree pollen?

Why this question?

"Christmas Tree Syndrome" is a very real thing! While actual tree pollen is rare in the winter, real trees carry dust, strong pine sap, and naturally occurring mold spores on their branches.



Question 7: Is your ceiling higher than or equal to feet?

Why this question?

Living trees must stay in massive pots to protect their root systems. This pot adds about 2 feet of extra height to the plant.



Question 8: How many days will you keep your Christmas tree up this year?

Why this question?

Potted, replantable trees can only survive in a warm house for about 7 to 10 days, while professional rental trees max out at 3 to 4 weeks. If they stay inside longer, the heat tricks them into thinking it’s spring.



Question 9: Do you have a suitable place to plant a replantable tree after the holidays?

Why this question?

Replantable trees need a permanent home to survive and continue pulling carbon out of the air.



Question 10: Are you willing to replant a tree?

Why this question?

The root ball of a standard tree can easily weigh over 100 pounds! It also requires a lot of manual labor and pre-planning.



Carbon Footprint (kg CO2e)


Behind the Math: Assumptions

To calculate these accurate Cradle-to-Grave footprints, our model relies on a few standardized environmental assumptions:

  • Disposal Cost: We assume Replantable and Rented do not die and there is no disposal cost.
  • Post-Holiday Carbon Savings: We do not count the continued CO2e savings after a living tree is permanently replanted or returned to the farm.
  • No Replanting Reuse: We assume that once a replantable tree is permanently planted in the ground, it is not dug up and reused as an indoor Christmas tree in subsequent years.
  • Vehicles & Transport: Personal driving emissions are calculated dynamically based on your chosen EPA vehicle model profile.
  • Root Ball Height: We assume the root ball or massive pot required for living (replantable or rented) trees adds approximately 2 feet to the total standing height of the tree indoors.
  • The Power of Scale: Trees scale non-linearly. Living trees (Fraser fir) scale their biomass by a power of 2.638, meaning taller trees carry exponentially heavier carbon weights. We used the scale factor 2.7 for artificial trees.