Real or fake: Which type of tree is better for you and for the environment?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The debate many have had in their lives, maybe even this year, remains: should you get a real or artificial tree?
Both are pricey this year with real trees costing about 15 percent more and shipping fees also up which causes artificial trees to cost a lot more.
So maybe it comes down to which type of tree is better for the environment and there's a clear winner.
"Unquestionably, it's the real tree," said Bill Ulfelder, the executive director of the Nature Conservancy in New York.
The reason being is a real tree decreases your carbon footprint.
"I've seen some figures say, seven or eight years, some as long as 20, so it's not an insignificant amount of time," Ulfelder said.
If you buy a real tree, though, ensure you take off all the decorations before recycling.
Not only could lost decorations leave some family members heartbroken, but it could also cause complications in the mulching and recycling process.
And now, Pittsburgh, and the world, are lighting up ahead of the Christmas holiday season.
In Vatican City, the giant Christmas tree and nativity scene have been illuminated.
The tree was decorated with crafts made by local children.
The nativity scene is made entirely of wood and it along with the tree will be up until early January.