PHLAK

This is what an OFFSITE backup is for.

The Witness is amongst my favorite games of all time. However my first impression of this game is that it feels pretty generic but I’ll wait for more info before I make a final judgment.

Just went back through the episode and they some artificial trees may have less environmental impact if used for at least 5 years. However, some other things to consider, first where do you think the plastics in the artificial tree come from? That’s right, PETROLEUM! Also, artificial trees will end up in a landfill once they reach their end of life while a real tree is 100% biodegradable. Lastly, most artificial trees come from oversees (mostly China) whereas getting a live tree is a great way of supporting local businesses. Of course now that you have an artificial tree you’re better off using that as long as possible to minimize the environmental impact.

A properly watered tree is actually not very flammable.

The ecological damage of a single artificial tree vastly outweighs that of cutting down many trees (don’t remember the exact numbers). - Source

This is true but this was also done at at time when all of these things were unprecedented. Valve was blazing a trail with Steam and digital distribution and there was nothing else even close.