Artificial Christmas trees stand in a display room at Sun Xudan's Christmas tree factory in Yiwu, China, in 2016.
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Johannes Eisele
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
It's time to discuss one of the perennial debates of the holiday season. Are real Christmas trees or their fake counterparts more eco-friendly?
What studies say: The most recent U.S. analysis concluded that artificial trees have a more favorable effect on the environment if reused for at least five years. The analysis took into account things like the netting around trees and the water used to keep them alive in homes.
The environmentalists' take: Environmentalists, meanwhile, suggest studies shouldn't be the only evidence consumers take into account. One of the things about the artificial trees is that they're made of plastic almost entirely. And the by-far-most-common polymer used to make artificial trees is PVC, polyvinyl chloride, which is a particularly toxic form of plastic that's toxic in production, use and disposal.
The endgame for both options: If real trees end up in a landfill and don't break down, they're still storing all the carbon they absorbed in life. And if they're mulched, they're being reused for greener purposes. Most artificial trees aren't recyclable.
It's time to discuss one of the perennial debates of the holiday season: Which are more eco-friendly,real trees or their fake counterparts?
"I think it's just a no-brainer that real Christmas trees are far superior for the environment," he said. "Let's just start with a product of nature versus a product that's made from oil."
Of course, O'Connor's organization represents Christmas tree farmers. Here's what studies and environmentalists say.
The studies
The most recent U.S. analysis of the issue is from 2018, when a life cycle assessment — measuring the environmental impact of real and fake trees over the course of production to disposal —was published. (It's worth noting thatthe study was done by a consulting firm contracted by the American Christmas Tree Association, which represents the artificial-tree industry.)
The analysis took into account things like the netting around real Christmas trees and the water used to keep them alive in homes, versus the plastic packaging tape used on fake-tree boxes and transportation from manufacturers in China.
It concluded that artificial trees have a more favorable effect on the environment if reused for at least five years.
It's worth noting, though, that with all these variables, the study says that transportation accounts for around 15% of total global warming potential for artificial Christmas trees and 10% to 12% for real ones. So if that tree farm or big-box store is a long drive away, it can really sway things.
"Neither a farm-grown tree or a faux tree has a superlarge environmental impact compared to some daily activities like commuting a long way in a gas-powered car," said Mac Harman, the CEO of Balsam Hill, which makes high-end fake trees and offers an eco-friendly line of trees made from recycled plastics and plant-based plastic. "One long commute could be about the impact of having a Christmas tree for a year."
Environmentalists, meanwhile, suggest studies shouldn't be the only evidence consumers take into account.
"Studies can really vary on anything depending on who's funding the study, what parameters they're looking at, which elements are the most important, or are they just looking at carbon impacts? Are they looking at other resource impacts? Are they considering extraction? Are they considering disposal?" said Darby Hoover of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
A man and child look at artificial Christmas trees on display at a Home Depot in Miami in 2021.
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Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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An environmentalist's take
Several environmental groups have waded into the debate, and for many of them, real trees are the winner.
"For me, it's not just carbon," said Hoover. "One of the things about the artificial trees is that they're made of plastic almost entirely. And the by-far-most-common polymer used to make artificial trees is PVC, polyvinyl chloride, which is a particularly toxic form of plastic that's toxic in production, use and disposal."
It's worth noting the endgame for both options: If real trees end up in a landfill and don't break down, they're still storing all the carbon they absorbed in life. And if they're mulched, they're being reused for greener purposes. Most artificial trees aren't recyclable.
"If [people] want to do what's better for the environment, if they want to support a family farmer, if they want to have the kind of Christmas experience for their family that is authentic, that includes something from nature rather than something from plastic, it's a pretty simple decision to have a real Christmas tree," O'Connor of the real-Christmas-tree association said.
How to be tree-mendously green for Christmas
Want to take it a step further? Let's go back to the tree's roots — as in letting the tree keep its actual roots.
The official White House Christmas tree, a 20-foot Fraser fir, is seen at Cartner's Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, N.C., on Nov. 13.
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Erik Verduzco
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AP
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"I think the best option is using a plant that's already in your life or that you want to purchase and have stay in your life," said Hoover. "So rather than buying a plant that's going to be cut down, why not repurpose a tree that's already on your property or a really fancy potted plant that's already in your home?"
And if your wilted snake plant isn't Christmassy enough for you, there's another option. There are companies that allow you to rent a live Christmas tree that returns to the nursery when the holidays are over.
And if you already have a fake tree, keep using it. Harman of Balsam Hill says he knows people who still have trees from his company's early days nearly two decades ago.
"It doesn't make business any easier for us selling more trees when they last so long, but it's certainly good for the environment," he said.
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
is an arts and general assignment reporter on LAist's Explore LA team.
Published April 13, 2026 5:23 PM
A view of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro.
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Kevork Djansezian
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Port of L.A. exports rose 7% in March, compared to last year, despite shipping upheaval in the Middle East.
Why it matters: The port generated over $300 billion in trade last year, making it an important regional and national economic engine.
The backstory: The Port of L.A.’s largest trade partners are big economies along the Pacific Rim, like China, Vietnam and Japan. And that trans-Pacific commerce has insulated the port from the war with Iran.
New data from the Port of L.A. for March released on Monday shows a 7% increase in exports compared to the same month last year, with 132,000 containers leaving the port despite the turmoil in the Middle East.
“That's the highest output number for the export containers that we've seen in nearly two years,” Gene Seroka, the executive director of the Port of L.A. “While encouraging, we have much more work to do to develop a consistent upward trend."
The overall percentage change in container traffic in and out of the port in March is in the single digits, a 3% drop compared to the same month last year. Seroka said that’s because uncertainty over tariffs a year ago led companies to scramble to get their products through ports.
The longstanding trade deficit continues
However, while there’s an upward trend in exports, the data confirms something that’s been true for years: the U.S. is in a trade deficit. In March, overseas companies sent about three times more goods to consumers here than were sent out of the port by American companies. Last month, the port processed over 380,000 incoming containers, mostly from China, Vietnam and Japan.
That trans-Pacific commerce is insulating the Port of L.A. container volume from one of the most consequential geopolitical conflicts in recent memory — the war with Iran.
“So far, it's a concern, but it's not a worry,” Seroka said.
An electric top handler moves cargo off of semi-trucks at the Port of Los Angeles.
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Joel Angel Juarez
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CalMatters
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Foreign shipping companies that do business with the Port of L.A., as well as ports in the Middle East, are doing what they can to protect their trade with the U.S., Seroka said.
“The transpacific business is the most lucrative of any east west [trade] for the service providers and shipping lines… they'll go to great lengths to make sure those supply chains remain intact,” he said.
The port isthe busiest in the Western hemisphere, generating more than $300 billion in trade last year, making it an important regional and national economic engine.
But the war is affecting shipping companies and consumers in other ways. The price of gasoline has gone up, as well as cargo ship fuel, which will likely be passed on to consumers.
What you need to know about Port of L.A. trade
Top five products imported to the U.S. through the Port of L.A.:
Furniture
Auto parts
Plastic products
Apparel
Electronics
Top five products exported from the U.S. through the Port of L.A.:
Recyclable paper
Pet/animal feed
Soybeans
Recyclable metal
Automobiles
Top trading partners with the Port of L.A. (cargo value):
David Wagner
has been a reporter with LAist for more than eight years.
Published April 13, 2026 4:10 PM
The restored marquee at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park.
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David Wagner
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LAist
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Topline:
A beloved Los Angeles puppetry institution said Monday they’re here to stay now that they’ve worked out a plan to buy their building.
The backstory: The Bob Baker Marionette Theater has been delighting L.A. kids — and kids at heart — since 1963. But in 2019, their landlord’s redevelopment plans forced them to move from their original location near downtown L.A. to their current venue in Highland Park.
What’s new: Co-executive director Mary Fagot said discussions to purchase the building began in 2024. Those talks have culminated in a deal to buy the building for $5 million from its owner, Capstone Equities. Once the sale is complete, Fagot said Bob Baker will be able to redirect rent money to new programming, field trips and special events.
Read on… for more on how this deal comes at a time when Bob Baker puppets are gracing bigger stages and reaching new audiences.
The directors of a beloved Los Angeles puppetry institution said Monday their theater is here to stay now that they’ve worked out a plan to buy their building.
The Bob Baker Marionette Theater has been delighting L.A. kids — and kids at heart — since 1963. But in 2019, a landlord’s redevelopment plans forced the theater to move from its original location near downtown L.A. to its current venue in Highland Park.
Co-executive director Mary Fagot said discussions to purchase the building began in 2024. Those talks have culminated in a deal to buy the building for $5 million from its owner, Capstone Equities.
Once the sale is complete, Bob Baker will be able to redirect rent money to new programming, field trips and special events, Fagot said.
“Buying the building means that we won't be subject to rent increases or even another displacement in the future,” she said. “We'll be able to go on presenting our special brand of magic, creativity and imagination, here in this location, forever.”
How puppetry lovers can help secure the deal
The theater said it has already raised $4.5 million for the purchase from organizations such as the Perenchio Foundation, the Kohl Family Foundation and the Ahmanson Foundation, as well as philanthropists and celebrities, including Wallis Annenberg, Jack Black and Tanya Haden.
Now the theater is asking the public for help raising the last $500,000, so it can close the deal without carrying debt into the future.
The news comes as new audiences have been getting to see White Cat, Skateboarding Clown, Gorgeous and all of the theater’s other distinctive puppets in action.
Bob Baker puppeteers brought their talents to Coachella last weekend. They’ll be there again this weekend, adding a dash of whimsy to a lineup that includes headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G.
What’s next?
The theater is also prepping to debut its first new show in 40 years, an hour-long train-themed adventure called Choo Choo Revue.
Fagot said L.A. families are always bringing new generations of kids to their regular shows in Highland Park.
“To be able to say with certainty that this theater will be here for my kids and my kids' kids, and really for the cultural landscape of Los Angeles for generations to come — it feels like a really big deal, not just for us, but for L.A.,” Fagot said.
Keep up with LAist.
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Frank Stoltze
is a veteran reporter who covers local politics and examines how democracy is and, at times, is not working.
Published April 13, 2026 3:51 PM
Seal of L.A. County. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Topline:
Los Angeles County’s CEO on Monday proposed a $48.8-billion budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 that avoids broad cuts, but warns reductions in federal funding could hit the county hard.
The details: The budget by acting CEO Joseph Nicchitta recommended a net decrease of 81 budgeted vacant jobs for a total of 115,885 positions. It includes $63.2 million in new ongoing local funding for programs and services.
Social service and public defender increases: Family and social service programs would see a $40.1-million bump in funding. That would help protect 1,000 Department of Public Social Service jobs that provide CalFresh services, according to a county statement. The budget plan also includes $12 million more to support public defenders, given increasing caseloads.
Federal policies: Federal policy changes to Medi-Cal and CalFresh eligibility, enrollment and work requirements set to take effect in the next fiscal year “are expected to have a devastating impact on those programs,” according to the statement. The Department of Health Services budget reflects an estimated $662.2 million decline in federal support to maintain the current level of services.
The future: “LA County is currently in the eye of a hurricane,” Nicchitta said. “Previous cuts of 8.5% and a hiring freeze helped balance our spending plan, but we’re preparing for major new budget impacts to our health and social services departments in 2027.”
What’s next: Nicchitta presents the budget to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
Rep. Eric Swalwell speaks during a press conference after a rally in support of Proposition 50 at IBEW Local 6 in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2025.
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Beth LaBerge
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Topline:
Rep. Eric Swalwell said Monday that he will resign his seat in Congress, a day after he suspended his campaign for California governor following explosive allegations of sexual assault and misconduct from four women, including a former staff member, published by two news outlets.
The backstory: Swalwell’s campaign collapsed Friday soon after the first report in the San Francisco Chronicle, in which the unnamed former staff member said Swalwell solicited oral sex from her while she was working for him and twice sexually assaulted her when she was too drunk to consent. The account was corroborated with medical records and by people the woman spoke with after the last incident, which she said took place in New York in 2024. CNN later Friday published the same woman’s account, as well as those of three other women.
Read on... for more on how we got here.
Rep. Eric Swalwell said Monday that he will resign his seat in Congress, a day after he suspended his campaign for California governor following explosive allegations of sexual assault and misconduct from four women, including a former staff member, published by two news outlets.
He said he would "fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make."
Swalwell’s campaign collapsed Friday soon after the first report in the San Francisco Chronicle, in which the unnamed former staff member said Swalwell solicited oral sex from her while she was working for him and twice sexually assaulted her when she was too drunk to consent. The account was corroborated with medical records and by people the woman spoke with after the last incident, which she said took place in New York in 2024.
CNN later Friday published the same woman’s account, as well as those of three other women, one of whom said he kissed and touched her inappropriately and two of whom alleged he sent unsolicited nude photos and other inappropriate messages on Snapchat.
It was unclear when Swalwell would step down, but he said he would work with his congressional staff to ensure they are able to meet the needs of his San Francisco East Bay district, where he was first elected in 2013.
Because he is leaving the race after a state deadline to file for or withdraw from a race, his name will still appear on the June 2 primary ballot.
