Ideally, if a tree is still alive with its roots, it will be replanted. A decent alternative is ensuring the tree"s carbon is released slowly back to the atmosphere as CO2 – as happens if the tree is chipped and spread on a garden or park, or composted. If the tree is burned for energy, meanwhile, the carbon it contains will be emitted straight back to the atmosphere as CO2. The BCTGA also recommends checking whether the place you bought the tree from offers recycling services, allowing it to be chipped and returned to the fields where it grew.