Are plastic Christmas trees the better choice for the environment?

The idea is a good one, in theory: You buy one plastic Christmas tree for life, and never again will an evergreen be chopped down in your name.

And yet plastic trees — especially in the low-price segment — only have a lifespan of a few years before they start to look old and are thrown away. While they don't shed needles and aren't a problem for people with allergies, plastic pines do appear to be losing their image as the more environmentally friendly choice.