Businesses observe Earth Day too

Although it was too wet Monday to plant, associates at the Walmart Distribution Center showed off some of the trees the facility plans to plant this month in honor of Earth Day. From left are Donnita Stacey, Misty Gevedon, Shane Christie, Angie Graves, Alvin Owens and Kristi Blackburn. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Order this photo]

Thanks to the efforts of the Earth Day organizers, the EPA and other environmental activists, that scenario is changing. While there are still many industries under fire for wasteful or damaging practices, more industries are not only following clean air and clean water standards, they are setting them -- raising the bar for individuals.

"Every year, we mail out a bill stuffer on planting the right tree in the right place to every customer," said Jim Barnhart, the forester with Duck River Electric Membership Corporation. "We offer tree care tips brochures -- how to care for trees, water them, plant them. All sorts of things related to trees and their importance."

Jim Barnhardt, left, the forester for DREMC, receives the Tree Line USA award from state urban forester Bruce Webster at Bell Buckle's recent Daffodil Day. (T-G File Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

DREMC, a member-owned cooperative, recently received its fifth Tree Line USA designation, which is granted through the National Arbor Day Foundation. Tree Line USA is a companion program to Tree City USA, which promotes tree planting and arboriculture done responsibly. DREMC was the first electric utility cooperative to earn the distinction in Tennessee.

"They require us to meet a certain set of standards," said Barnhart. "One is to have line clearance tree trimming standards."

DREMC workers have to trim the trees to prevent them from interfering with power lines, but under the Tree Line standards, the trimming and pruning are done in such a way to promote controlled growth and benefits the tree in ways that go beyond appearance. Sometimes, however, a tree has to be taken out completely. When that happens, said Barnhart, it's after conferring with the property owner.

"We take the tree out, grind the stump and plant them a new tree that will be compatible and not cause line problems," he said. "It's a win-win situation. We eliminate future trimming expense and the customer gets a tree that won't look ugly."

If the owner wants the tree in another spot, one that will not later interfere with power lines, DREMC will provide them with a full-grown shade tree to replace the one removed.

Part of the Tree Line requirements -- and part of DREMC's mission -- is education. Every year, said Barnhart, he and his team take six or seven trees, about 6 or 7 feet tall, to one grade school or another.

"We talk to the kids about planting trees, how to plant, why it's important. Then the kids assist us in planting those trees."

He also educates customers and his own staff on tree maintenance and nurturing, and is often found in the field working with them and checking compliance.

Big Box Planters

Walmart is another big business that encourages environmental improvement. Walmart Distribution Center observed Earth Day with a second annual tree planting this week. Last year, the facility planted 40 Bradford pear trees; this year, the facility's operation managers are planting Oklahoma redbuds and Tennessee's official state tree, tulip poplars.

A scheduled planting day on Monday had to be postponed due to overly-wet weather conditions.

Bill Dyer of Walmart D.C. said the trees contribute to the facility's appearance and benefit the environment by helping absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Walmart is also sponsoring the "Earth Day, Every Day School Challenge," in the U.S. to recognize schools across the country that are taking active strides to create a greener, healthier planet.

Entrants will have until May 1 to submit a 200-word essay, describing the eco-friendly activities that the school they are nominating has enacted in the past 24 months.

The 20 finalists will each be awarded a $500 Walmart gift card and invited to compete for the grand prize: a $20,000 grant from Walmart to be used toward the continuation of the winning school's eco-friendly projects. For more details and the complete rules, visit www.earthdayeverydaychallenge.com or www.marketwire.com/press-release/Walmart....

As part of its ongoing efforts, Walmart has set numerous environmental goals, including the following:

• To cut plastic bag waste by one-third by 2013, which is estimated to eliminate more than 135 million pounds of plastic waste globally.
• To work with suppliers to reduce packaging in its supply chain by 5 percent by 2013, which could prevent millions of pounds of trash from reaching landfills and could stop 667,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere -- the equivalent of taking 213,000 trucks off the road each year.
• To double the efficiency of its private hybrid and alternatively-fueled trucking fleet by 2015, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions and fuel use.

Don't stop there

Observing Earth Day, and making positive changes in the environment, involves more than cutting trees. It also involves saving energy. DREMC is offering programs to help its customers do just that.

"It's not just the trees," said Charles McDonald, DREMC director of member services. "We have a pretty big program ongoing right now, an 'exchange a light' program where we're encouraging our members to swap out their incandescent lights for compact fluorescent lights.

"The primary reason for that, of course, is to reduce the amount of energy that has to be generated and lower demand. We are swapping up to six incandescent lights for six compact fluorescent lights for our members at no cost to them.

"We realize this won't cover all the lights in the house but we're hoping it will give folks an opportunity to get used to them. There are some differences in the color and when you flip the switch, they don't come on as fast. But they will use about 60 to 75 percent less energy and they last about 10 times longer."

McDonald also mentioned DREMC's and TVA's ongoing customer education. The web sites of both agencies offer "green" tips that range from insulating your crawl space to "greening" your home, one room at a time.

The tips and services they offer, said McDonald, will not only save energy and conserve natural resources, but will save the customer money as well.

"We're at a crossroads in the electric utility industry as far as costs are concerned. What people experienced this past fall and winter ... although TVA has lowered the cost some, I think we can anticipate from this point forward is there is no more cheap energy out there. Energy in almost every form is going to be more expensive in the future."

On the web

www.earthday.net; earthdayeverydaychallenge.com;

marketwire.com/press-release/Walmart-970345.html; www.dremc.com.