BGE’s donation is in addition to the
company’s Energy Savings Trees Program, through which the company
provided 21,000 free trees to customers throughout central Maryland
over the past two years
Many times the importance of trees during the winter time is
overlooked, however, trees provide energy savings for customers
year-round and are essential for the health of the local ecosystem
and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Through the Baltimore Gas and
Electric Company’s (BGE) annual BGE Energy Saving Trees Program the
company is helping the City of Baltimore and its customers
throughout central Maryland reduce their energy consumption and
carbon footprints, while also making a positive impact on the
environment. Through a commitment of $100,000, the company has
teamed up with the Arbor Day Foundation and Davey Institute to
provide 360 trees that have been planted throughout Baltimore City
in neighborhoods where the City has plans to increase the tree
canopy.
Heating and cooling typically account for nearly half of a
home’s annual energy use and studies have shown that planting the
right tree, in the right place, can help customers save up to 30
percent on their energy use throughout the year.
“BGE is pleased to team up with Baltimore City to enhance and
improve the communities we serve,” said Valencia McClure, director
of communications and corporate relations for BGE. “In addition to
supporting efforts to improve energy efficiency, this tree planting
project will have a positive impact on the environmental and
aesthetic qualities in communities that suffer from excessive
vacancy and bare lots.”
The Baltimore City neighborhoods of Harlem Park and Sandtown
received 150 trees each, which were planted during community tree
planting events on November 15 and December 6, respectively. In
addition, 60 additional trees were planted along streets within
McElderry Park, along E. Monument Street and throughout the
downtown and South Baltimore City. The greening of these areas will
help to reduce a heat island effect in the summer, improve air
quality, and mitigate storm water runoff year-round, helping to
improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The trees that
were planted are all native species that have been shown to thrive
as street trees in Baltimore. The species planted include Sugar
Maple, Red Maple, Scarlet Oak, Honey Locust, Eastern Redbud,
Hornbeam, Sweetgum, Zelkova, London Plane and the flowering
Dogwood. The neighborhoods targeted were selected with Baltimore
City Division of Forestry due to their low tree canopies. The tree
planting projects were completed with volunteer support from BGE,
Baltimore City, the Baltimore Tree Trust and the Downtown
Partnership.
"Baltimore City is committed to increasing the tree canopy
throughout the City, but especially in the neighborhoods that
currently have fewer trees, to improve the air quality, shield
homes from harsh winter winds and provide shade in the hot summer
months," said Erik Dihle, Baltimore City Arborist. "We thank BGE
for supporting the City in our efforts by providing 360 trees,
which have been planted in several neighborhoods, all of which will
benefit from the improved aesthetics and environmental
enhancements. We look forward to continuing to work with BGE in the
future as they provide meaningful investments in communities across
Baltimore City."
BGE’s donation of 360 trees to Baltimore City is part of its
larger annual BGE Energy Saving Trees Program. Over the past two
years, through a commitment of $600,000, BGE has provided more than
20,600 free trees to nearly 12,000 customers throughout central
Maryland.
BGE will launch the 2015 BGE Energy Saving Tree Program in the
spring and customers will be able to register for up to two free
trees. To protect the safety of customers and the reliability and
integrity of BGE’s infrastructure, the BGE Energy Saving Trees
program features a website with an interactive tool that will
provide an overlay of BGE overhead lines for safe planting and
choosing the appropriate tree. Customers must agree to follow Right
Tree, Right Place guidelines and plant the trees in an
energy-saving location, away from overhead power lines and
underground utilities. Customers are reminded to always call Miss
Utility at 811 to have underground utilities marked before any
digging or planting project.
Since BGE’s Energy Saving Trees Program launched in the spring
of 2013:
By the Numbers:
- $600,000 charitable commitment
- 20,674 trees distributed to 11,798 BGE
customers
Program Estimated Energy Savings:
- 34,118 megawatt hours saved
- 1,369,979 therms saved
- 75,814.38 tons CO2 sequestered or
avoided
- 189 million gallons of storm water
filtered
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.
For more information on BGE’s Energy Saving Trees Program, visit
www.arborday.org/BGE. To learn more about BGE’s commitment to the
environment, visit bge.com/ourcommitments/environment.
For more information on BGE’s Right Tree, Right Place program,
visit bge.com. Customers are reminded to contact Miss Utility by
calling 811 before any digging or planting project. Customers may
also visit bge.com/811. For more ways to save energy, visit
bge.smartenergy.com to view BGE’s suite of energy efficiency
programs.
Since its founding nearly 200 years ago, BGE has played an
integral role in working with Maryland communities to address
economic development, public safety, civic issues and other
initiatives that help enhance our neighborhoods. Through the use of
shareholder dollars, BGE supports programs that deliver measurable
and sustainable impact in areas of education, environment,
community development and arts and culture.
BGE’s corporate citizenship aligns with that of its parent
company, Exelon Corporation. As part of Exelon’s merger in March
2012, Exelon and its subsidiaries have committed to maintain
charitable giving of an average of $7 million per year in Maryland,
including BGE’s service area, for the next 10 years. BGE’s $600,000
commitment to the Energy Saving Trees Program fulfills part of that
commitment.
About the BGE:
BGE, headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland’s largest gas and
electric utility, delivering power to more than 1.2 million
electric customers and more than 655,000 natural gas customers in
central Maryland. The company’s approximately 3,400 employees are
committed to the safe and reliable delivery of gas and electricity,
as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental
stewardship and community assistance. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon
Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy
provider, with 2013 revenues of approximately $24.9 billion. Like
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Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE)Rachael Lighty,
rachael.lighty@bge.comBGE Media Hotline: 410-470-7433
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