It’s coming on Christmas, they’re cutting down trees… but it also stays pretty green. A famous line from Joni Mitchell’s River. If you live in cold and tree hearty Canada, cutting down a tree off your lot makes sense at Christmas time. I have thousands of young pines on my land and I cut them back every summer. They grow like weeds. But if you live in the middle of London, New York or LA, the greener option is obviously renting a potted Christmas tree. Since we covered the story a few years ago a large number of Christmas tree rental companies have opened.
Related: Rent a live potted Christmas tree in Ireland
In California there the Living Christmas Company in Southern California. They deliver. ]Rent A Living Christmas Tree in the South Bay and Monterey Bay areas. Environment-friendly rental system with drop-off and pickup. Plant Manning Tree Concern rents out live, potted Christmas trees such as redwoods and spruces. Delivery and post-holiday retrieval available in parts of California. Fitzgeralds Floral Events provides decorated artificial Christmas tree rentals with full setup and removal services in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Related: cut Christmas trees give off nasty chemicals and allergens
You can go to a site or go online, order the tree and pick it up or if if possible have it delivered. A live tree doesn’t shed needles after a few weeks and it’s obviously the ecological choice to cutting down millions of 7 to 15 year old trees every year.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association there are about 30 million trees cut down every year. How about treading lighter on this planet by renting one? We have 8 reasons why it’s better to rent. Consider that some trees in New York are going for a few hundred dollars. Renting seems like an economical choice as well.
1. Environmentally friendly: Renting a living, potted tree keeps it alive after the holidays instead of cutting it down.
2. Reduces waste: No discarded trees piling up on sidewalks or landfills; the tree continues growing year after year.
3. Lower carbon footprint: Living trees actively absorb CO₂, and many rental companies operate locally, reducing transport emissions.
4. Supports reforestation: Most services plant the trees in parks or forests once they outgrow rental size.
5. No storage needed: Unlike artificial trees which offgas you don’t need space to store anything after the holidays.
6. Fresher and safer: A living tree doesn’t dry out, reducing fire risk and shedding fewer needles.
7. Helps local growers and nonprofits: Rentals often support small nurseries, conservation groups, or urban forest programs.
8. Easy delivery and pickup: Most services bring the tree to your door and take it away afterward — low hassle.
Ho, Ho, Ho
