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According to the American Christmas Tree Association, 95 million homes in America will have a Christmas tree. Eight out of ten of those homes will be using a fake tree, but there are some 17 million homes in the United States that will be using a live tree. It might surprise you that the Natural Resource Defense Council approves of the use of those live trees, and the number of live trees used every year is increasing. After all, artificial trees are often shipped in from China and you would have to use them for about two decades to offset the negative environmental impact associated with it.

If you enjoy having a live tree but don’t necessarily want the environmental impact associated with it, there is an option to rent a live Christmas tree this year. It allows you to go green in an entirely new way.

If this sounds familiar to you, perhaps you remember the Shark Tank episode when Scott Martin gave his idea for The Living Christmas Co to the investors. That happened back in 2012, but those areas where you can rent a Christmas tree are limited in the US. It isn’t only The Living Christmas Co that makes this opportunity these days, other companies such as Rent Xmas Tree, and Rent-A-Christmas have something similar. Those companies are limited to the areas of California and New York, but a Christmas tree farm in your area may offer something similar.

If you do decide to take advantage of what The Living Christmas Co has to offer, you would select the size and type of tree, choosing from Monterrey Pine, Aleppo Pine, and Blue Spruce. The tree would be transferred to a pot and delivered to your home. It is your responsibility to take care of the tree by watering and feeding it, although they provide care instructions to make things easy.

You would then choose a pickup date and someone will come from the nursery to get the tree from your home. The tree will be put into a new pot and cared for until it’s time to rent it out again next year. Every tree can be used for up to seven years, which is similar to how long it would take to grow a tree that is typically used in most homes.

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According to BHG, Martin comments on the business, saying: “Our clients tend to be families and young couples looking to celebrate Christmas in a way that is in line with their values. Most identify as being conscious consumers and caring about the environment.” His company sells out every year and offers up to 1000 trees for rent.

The cost for one of these trees is as low as $155 and that includes the pickup and delivery. He admits that the living trees do take longer to grow, so they tend to be more expensive than what you might buy from a tree farm. Martin even says they offer “Misfit Trees” at a discount.

There are plenty of options available and this may be one you want to consider.