Mulch your Christmas tree yourself You can put it around the base of trees or over gardens as an insulator, a weed controller and a source of moisture to help plants withstand cold temperatures and to help prevent soil erosion. Plus, it looks nice. The needles can go right down just as they are.

So potted trees are the most sustainable option, but they need looking after,” says Anja-Lea Fischer, Global Head Operational Sustainability at Zurich Insurance Group. If you don't have a garden to replant your potted tree, then there's another alternative: rent a real Christmas tree.

If you have a real Christmas tree Simply cut the tree up and place the chippings in your brown bin or sack on your collection day. You may also take them to re3 household waste recycling centres in Reading or Bracknell. Alternatively, you can add the chippings to your compost bin or heap, if you have any.

This is very common in all varieties of pines. To improve marketability and provide the Christmas green color that people desire, growers will often spray the trees with an FDA-approved liquid acrylic colorant. "Colorants are very safe, they're non-toxic to anybody who were to put it in their mouth," says Nilssen.