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News Release > Entergy Arkansas Tree Giveaway Helps Customers Save Energy, Make Memories
Entergy Arkansas Tree Giveaway Helps Customers Save Energy, Make Memories
08/20/2020
The Entergy spring tree giveaway gave yield to a bumper crop of fun outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy while saving energy costs, absorbing pollution and filtering stormwater.
Since Entergy launched its program two years ago, 925 Entergy Arkansas customers and 3,700 customers across the company’s four-state utility service area have received free trees to plant at home.
Customers received a free sapling delivered to their door in a one- to three-foot container through the company’s partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Trees program. As part of the program, Entergy provides education about how to avoid power lines when planting and maximize the energy-savings benefits, as one well-placed tree can save a homeowner up to 20 percent of energy costs.
“It’s amazing that something as simple as planting a tree can improve our lives in so many different ways,” said Heath Williams with Entergy Arkansas vegetation field operations. “It’s also an activity that promotes thinking about the future and how taking action today can make the world a better place for years to come. Entergy’s tree giveaway fits perfectly with our commitment to sustainability and our focus on creating environmental, social and financial benefits for all of our stakeholders.”
In addition to benefits for customers, the program creates advantages for communities and the environment. Powered by Entergy’s Environmental Initiatives Fund and the company’s vegetation management organization, the tree giveaway is projected to avoid or capture more than 17.7 million pounds of carbon, absorb nearly 39,000 pounds of other air pollutants, and filter nearly 71 million gallons of stormwater over the next 20 years across the Entergy service area.
In its second year, Entergy Arkansas committed $40,250 with a total Entergy investment of $160,000 in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas. That investment combined with the projected energy savings and community benefits exceeds $1.5 million over the next 20 years.
Participants who responded to a follow-up survey gave the program a net promoter score of 73.68, which indicates how likely on a scale of 100 they would be to recommend it to others. When asked why they would recommend the Energy-Saving Trees program, their answers included:
- We planted the tree as a family at our new home. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to request a tree, plant it and take care of it, and watch it grow.
- This was an excellent program to help teach my children the importance of trees.
- This was a fun and family-friendly way to spend time together and beautify my family’s world!
- My tree arrived healthy and ready to plant! I desperately need shade in my back yard and to help shade the back of the house from morning sun.
“We’re encouraged by the enthusiastic feedback we continue to receive for our tree-planting partnerships with Entergy and other companies,” said Kristen Bousquet, the Arbor Day Foundation’s program manager. “Engaging families in strategic tree planting and care helps protect the environment and reduce the impacts of climate change while improving the quality of our air and supporting water and soil management.”
Customers should check www.Facebook.com/EntergyArk for opportunities to reserve a free tree this fall, with choices of Red Maple, Little Gem Magnolia, Red Oak, Tulip Poplar and Crape Myrtle Natchez.
Entergy Arkansas provides electricity to approximately 700,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of $11 billion and approximately 13,600 employees.
