Forget the cut vs. live vs. artificial Christmas tree debate.

These ingenious tree sculptures made with recycled alternatives put the green spirit back in the holidays!

1. Lobster Trap Christmas Tree - Rockland, Maine (pictured above)

What do you do when you live in the lobster capital of the world and you want to build a giant Christmas tree? You assemble it out of brightly colored lobster traps, of course! The tree is an annual tradition, standing 38 feet tall and made with 152 traps, more than 125 lobster buoys, 480 feet of garland and 3,000 white lights, and topped with a 5-foot fiberglass lobster (AP).

2. Mountain Dew Can Christmas Tree

This tree idea is so cool, it has it's own website. Using 400 Mountain Dew cans, it took the original Mountain Dew Tree designer about 3 months to secure enough "material" for its construction. A better plan would be to work with a local bar or organization to collect cans that would otherwise be discarded.

3. Plastic Fork Christmas Tree

In 2007, Students at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts competed with each other to create a Christmas tree that would divert the most waste from the landfill (while still looking festive!). The plastic fork sculpture was one of the 8 finalists.

Do you know of other creative ideas for upcycling waste into holiday decorations? Share them in a comment!

Image Credits: Capital Weekly | mdewtree.com |sparklette.net