Lean Toward Green
By Albert B. Kelly
I don’t know about you, but February 2017 was a strange
month. I’m not talking about the news coming out of Washington DC- although
that qualifies as strange- but rather our weather.
The week of February 8th, the temps were
extremely mild and at one point I saw a Wasp flying around. I was surprised to
see a wasp and he looked completely confused; we both shrugged assumed that
this was the new normal from here on out.
But it wasn’t just a day here or there, the entire month was
startling warm so that February might be the new March or April. Either way,
we’re close to a tipping point, if we haven’t already crossed it, a point of no
return where the damage we’ve done to the environment may well be beyond
repair.
Maybe I’m wrong about that and the environment is more
resilient than we know. But even if is resilient, and even if it can heal and
bounce back, there are still things- small things- that we can do to mitigate
the mess that we’ve made.
One perfect opportunity comes our way courtesy of Atlantic
City Electric. ACE is providing 1,150 trees, free of charge, to its residential
customers through their Energy-Saving Trees program. From their end, the
program is intended to help households conserve energy and reduce energy bills
through strategic tree planting.
It’s one free tree per household (as long as they supplies
last) and the tree is a one-gallon, four-foot potted tree that will be
delivered directly to you at your home. The types of tree species include
American beech, bald cypress, river birch, or a white dogwood- you get to pick.
There are several things to consider. From a savings
standpoint, a decent shade tree reduces the amount you spend on air
conditioning. If ACE calculations are right, that can be as much as a 20%
reduction to your electric bill in the warm months, which are expanding if
February is any indication.
During the cold months of winter, these same trees reduce
wind and serve to block cold air coming into houses and this helps to reduce
heating bills in the cold season. According to research provided by the Arbor
Day foundation 1,150 trees produce roughly $250,000 in savings over a couple of
decades.
Beyond that, trees are beautiful and in terms of improving
the look and feel of a neighborhood, few things are as majestic as trees. From
an environmental standpoint, the more trees we have, the more carbon dioxide
and carbon monoxide gets sucked up and converted into oxygen.
One decent-sized tree provides a day’s worth of oxygen for
three people; imagine what we could do if enough of our households in the
greater Bridgeton area plant one tree.
Atlantic Electric, in partnership with the Arbor Day
Foundation and the Davey Institute created an online tool to help you find the
best most strategic spot planting your tree. The tool also helps estimate
yearly savings on your energy bills.
With these things in mind, I want to encourage homeowners,
tenants, and landlords in the greater Bridgeton area to take advantage of this
program and help beautify our community by planting a free tree from Atlantic
Electric’s Energy Savings Tree Program.
Before calling, think about where you might like plant your
tree or use the online tool to help you select the best spot- both for the
savings, but also for the tree to grow into its fullness. If you’re using the
online tool for site-selection and need a little help, you can call the Arbor
Day Foundation at 1-855-670-2773.
Remember, its one free tree per household and you can pick
either a American beech, bald cypress, river birch, or white dogwood. I’m sure
the Arbor Day Foundation can provide information on the care and feeding of the
tree.
I hope you’ll consider doing it for the environment. I hope
you’ll consider doing it because nothing beats the beauty that trees provide. If
not, then do it because it will help lower your heating and cooling bills for years
to come. If none of that moves you, maybe do it because no one really wants to see a
confused wasp flying around on during the first week in February.