Lakeland Electric Offers Free Trees Through Arbor Day Foundation's Energy-Saving Trees Program

Lakeland Electric is providing 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. A grant this year from the Florida Forest Service has increased the number of trees available to customers.

Starting today, Lakeland Electric customers can reserve their free trees at www.arborday.org/lakelandelectric. The "Energy-Saving Trees" 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 one tree of their choice and are expected to care for and plant them in the location provided by the online tool. Customers are asked to call 8-1-1 before they dig and avoid planting near overhead power lines.

The program will continue until all the trees are reserved. Trees will be delivered directly to customers at an ideal time for planting.

Trees are an important part of the utility's ReEnergize Lakeland commitment. A strategically planted tree can help a homeowner save up to 20 percent on their electric bill. Trees also help reduce carbon footprint, improve air quality, and more effectively catch stormwater runoff.

Beyond providing trees to the community, Lakeland Electric conducts year-round tree trimming to clear power lines and help prevent outages. Customers can also receive free wood chips for ground cover upon request. Programs like these are aimed at helping customers learn about energy conservation, save money and improve the environment all at the same time.

"This program benefits the environment while also helping homeowners save money on their energy bills," said Kristen Bousquet, Arbor Day Foundation.

The 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 estimates the trees' other benefits, including cleaner air, reduced carbon emissions, and filtered stormwater.