Only the modern Christmas could present such a dilemma: should one use a completely recyclable resource (real Christmas trees) once a year or use the same landfill-unfriendly resource (artificial trees) for many years in the celebration of the season?

Every year, some 20 million real fir trees are harvested in the name of Christmas celebration and more than 10 million artificial trees are purchased for the same purpose. That makes Christmas trees a serious business and disposal of Christmas trees an environmental pickle.

Saving the environment seems to be central to the case for marketing of both products. Marketing efforts from both sides of the industry frequently pitch their answers to the eco-friendly stigma they want detached from their product.

So then how does one exactly celebrate a green Christmas? What exactly is the right answer for making merry without feeling environmentally guilty?

This first in a series of articles about the Great Debates of Christmas on My Merry Christmas tackles the questions of the Christmas Tree Debate.