Don’t Be Stumped by Landscaping this Spring! Get Started with a Free Tree from BGE

BALTIMORE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This Arbor Day, Baltimore
Gas and Electric Company (BGE) is helping customers with their
landscaping by providing free trees to customers through the Energy
Saving Trees Program. Through a joint effort with the Arbor Day
Foundation, BGE is providing 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
through the Arbor Day Foundation’s interactive tool at www.arborday.org/bge.
This tool helps customers identify the best tree for their property and
also 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.

To ensure that these trees do not impact the safety and reliability of
overhead and underground energy systems and the customers they serve,
BGE provides these “Right Tree, Right Place” guidelines:

• Do not plant trees on electric transmission or natural gas
  rights-of-way.
• Do not plant trees near natural gas pipelines (marked by yellow
  markers), underground electric lines (marked by white or red markers)
  or their rights-of-way.
• The Right
  Tree Right Place Guide lists acceptable trees for planting near
  utility equipment not located on rights-of-way or near pipelines and
  underground electric lines.
  • If you wish to plant a tree not listed, make sure it is also
    suitable for planting near utility equipment.
  • We do not recommend planting trees and shrubs directly below power
    lines. However, if you choose to do so, select trees and shrubs
    that will grow to a maximum height of 25 feet.

  Through BGE’s involvement with the Arbor Day Foundation, close to 25,000
  free trees have been provided to customers since 2013. According to the
  Arbor Day Foundation, these trees have helped:

  • Avoid nearly 55,000 tons of carbon dioxide
  • Filter 611 million gallons of storm water
  • Save more than 41,000 megawatt hours of electricity
  • Save more than 1.8 million gas therms.

  For more information on BGE’s Energy Saving Trees Program, visit www.arborday.org/BGE,
  or for more on the Right Tree, Right Place program, click
  here.

  BGE,
  founded in 1816 as the nation’s first gas utility, is Maryland’s largest
  natural gas and electric utility. Headquartered in Baltimore, BGE
  delivers power to more than 1.25 million electric customers and more
  than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company’s
  approximately 3,200 employees are committed to the safe and reliable
  delivery of natural gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy
  management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community
  assistance. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the
  nation’s leading competitive energy provider. Like us on Facebook
  and follow us on Twitter,
  YouTube
  and Flickr.

  Contacts

  Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE)
  Richard Yost, richard.yost@bge.com
  BGE
  Media Hotline: 410.470.7433