'Tis the season for Tannenbaum. It’s just a matter of which one. The choices can seem overwhelming at first: Will a blue spruce fill the house with the sharp scent of balsam better than a white pine?

The fake vs real Christmas tree debate has been simmering on for years. Traditionalists and romantics point to the festive smell and that sense of bringing the natural world into your home.

As people contemplate their holiday plans, they may find themselves in an environmental quandary, asking: Which is more sustainable, a real or artificial Christmas tree? "I think a misconception about ...