Pepco Still Offering Free Trees to Customers Through Arbor Day Foundation's Energy-Saving Trees Program

11/08/12
Lincoln, Neb. (November 8, 2012) – Pepco continues to offer free trees to customers through Energy-Saving Trees, an Arbor Day Foundation program that helps conserve energy and reduce energy bills through strategic tree planting.

Safety and property remain the priority for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. As communities move from emergency response to long-term recovery, the 3,000-tree program gives Pepco customers a chance to plant new trees and replace those that were lost or broken. The program launched October 9 and will run through November 21.

Pepco customers in the District of Columbia and parts of Maryland can reserve their free trees at arborday.org/pepco. An online tool helps customers estimate the annual energy savings that will result from planting trees in the most strategic location near their homes or businesses. Customers can reserve up to two trees and are expected to care for and plant them in the location provided by the online tool.

The types of trees offered include the following: Washington hawthorn, white dogwood, bald cypress, American beech, hackberry, river birch and sugar maple. The two-to-four foot tall trees will be delivered directly to customers at an ideal time for planting.

The "Energy-Saving Trees" online tool was created by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Davey Institute, a division of Davey Tree Expert Co., and uses peer-reviewed scientific research from the USDA Forest Service's i-Tree software to calculate estimated benefits. In addition to providing approximate energy savings, the tool also estimates the trees' other benefits, including cleaner air, reduced carbon dioxide emissions and improved storm water management.

The 3,000 trees are estimated to produce more than $500,000 in energy savings within 20 years.

About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of one million members, with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org, or by visiting us on Facebook, Twitter or our blog.