Insights > Entergy Customers Help Protect the Planet by Planting Free Trees

Entergy Customers Help Protect the Planet by Planting Free Trees

02/25/2021

One thousand Entergy customers across the company’s service territory in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas took the opportunity during fall 2020 to help improve and protect the environment with a free tree from Entergy to plant at home.

The tree giveaway is part of Entergy’s Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Trees program. Customers select from a variety of tree species. The free trees are delivered to customers’ homes along with guidance on where to plant trees to maximize their energy-saving benefits. Since Entergy launched its program two years ago, 4,700 customers have received free trees.

An interactive online program helps customers determine the best place to plant their tree for shade and other energy-saving benefits, while avoiding power lines.

Based on a follow-up survey, nearly 80% of participants said they would recommend the Energy-Saving Trees program to others. Customer comments included:

  • “Already recommended the program to my neighbor. My tree arrived looking healthy and is doing great.”
  • “I love the tool to see savings based on tree type and location. It’s very eye opening and educational.”
  • “The tree arrived in a timely manner, healthy, and I think planting new trees in energy-efficient spots is important. Especially after losing so many to hurricanes this fall. But not everyone has the resources to buy the trees to plant, so I think this is a great program.”
  • “A wonderful experience from start to finish. The technology involved was super impressive, there was a nice selection of trees, and the quality of the tree that came was amazing.”
  • “It was the easiest and most generous program provided to our community.”

More than 62% of survey respondents noted that after experiencing Entergy’s customer tree giveaway, they were more likely to plant a tree in the future.

The program is sponsored through Entergy’s Environmental Initiatives Fund. Since fall 2018, Entergy’s investment of $206,000 will return combined projected energy savings and community benefits exceeding $2 million. The tree giveaway is projected to avoid or capture more than 23 million pounds of carbon, absorb more than 50,750 pounds of other air pollutants and filter more than 92 million gallons of stormwater over the next 20 years.

“We love that customers see the benefits of planting trees and are partnering with us on this initiative,” said Kelli Dowell, Entergy’s director of environmental policy who manages the Environmental Initiatives Fund. “Together, we are helping create cleaner, more sustainable communities.”

“Entergy is a great partner on the Energy-Saving Tree Program because the objectives of the program support Entergy’s sustainability strategy designed to protect the environment and improve communities,” said Kristen Bousquet, the Arbor Day Foundation’s program manager. “By leveraging the power of customer engagement, Entergy is contributing to a bright future for all.”

Customers can follow Entergy on social media and watch for new opportunities to reserve free trees from Entergy this spring.

Related Articles:


Corporate Editorial Team