Don’t Be Stumped by Landscaping this Spring! Get Started with a Free Tree from PECO on Arbor Day

This Arbor Day, PECO is helping customers with their landscaping by providing free trees to customers through the Energy-Saving Trees program. Through a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, PECO is providing more than 2,000 free trees to customers to help them save energy and money.

When planted in the right place, trees can help reduce energy use through summer shading and slowing cold winter winds. Once trees are fully grown, they can lower energy costs by up to 20 percent, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. In addition, trees can increase property value, reduce your carbon footprint, improve air quality and more effectively catch storm water runoff.

Customers can reserve one tree on a first-come, first-served basis by visiting the Arbor Day Foundation’s interactive online mapping tool at arborday.com/peco. This tool helps customers identify the best tree for their property and determine where to plant the tree to save energy and money. Once customers confirm their reservation, a 3-foot tall, lightly branched potted tree seedling will be shipped to their home within two to four weeks.

When deciding where to plant new trees, property owners are encouraged to “plant to the right tree in the right place” to ensure new trees remain compatible with aerial power lines. The Arbor Day Foundation recommends planting small-growing trees up to 20 feet from power lines, medium growing trees between 20 and 50 feet from power lines, and tall growing trees more than 50 feet from power lines.

Customers also are reminded to dial 811 at least three days before digging to ensure the area is safe for planting.

Since 2014, PECO customers have received more than 3,000 free trees through this innovative program. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, these trees have helped:

• Avoid more than 4,100 tons of carbon dioxide;
• Filter 41 million gallons of storm water; and
• Save more than 3,000 megawatt hours of electricity.

For more information about the Energy-Saving Trees program, visit peco.com/community.

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). The company’s 2,400 dedicated employees provide advanced, innovative energy solutions to 1.6 million electric and more than 511,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2015 PECO delivered 86.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $4.5 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 9,600 local jobs and producing $760 million in labor income. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.

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