To put it into perspective, a 6.5ft artificial tree has a carbon footprint of about 40kg of greenhouse gas emissions. Once they’re used for a few years they’re thrown into landfills. They take five times more energy to produce. Long answer? Fake trees might seem sustainable from one point of view but they’re made of non-renewable plastics and petroleum-based products. How To Buy A Sustainable Christmas Tree: Real Vs Fake? How sustainable are fake Christmas trees? Here’s our guide on whether a real or fake Christmas tree is more sustainable. It’s Christmas! Festive times call for festive trees, but the debate of real vs fake rolls around every year.