The allure of an artificial Christmas tree is obvious: reusable, dependably lush and symmetrical, and best of all, mess-and maintenance-free. But convenience has an environmental price tag, making fresh, fragrant, real trees a better choice. Artificial trees are made from materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and metal and are often imported from China. Because they cannot be recycled, artificial trees end up in landfills when they are no longer useful. They are also questionable in terms of human health. California Proposition 65, a law that protects consumers from exposure to toxic and cancer-causing substances, requires artificial trees made in China to have a warning label about the potential of lead poisoning. A 2008 report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on children's exposure to lead noted, "Artificial Christmas trees made of PVC degrade under normal conditions. About 50 million U.S. households have artificial Christmas trees, of which about 20 million are at least nine years old, the point at which dangerous lead exposures can occur." BY THE EDITORS OF ORGANIC LIFE Nov 29, 2017