[Lapg] LADWP Offers Free Trees

[eric werbalowsky]

...the key to preventing "The Day After" scenario --
mo' trees...that and a solar revolution...

ew


LADWP Offers Free Trees to Residential Customers at
Community Workshops or New On-Line Workshop

Bill Insert Reminder About Trees for a Green LA Will
Be Distributed to Customers in November and December

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 2004-- The Fall
season and recent rainy weather provides a perfect
time to plant trees and other foliage.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP),
under its Trees for a Green LA Program, is now
offering a new easy way to obtain up to seven free
five-gallon shade trees.

LADWP customers may now simply go on-line at
www.ladwp.com/trees and take the new on-line workshop.
Customers may still attend any one of the many free
one-hour community workshops held monthly throughout
the city.

By studying the material on-line and then answering a
quiz, customers may receive up to seven free shade
trees.

Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn said, "I urge City
residents to take the new on-line workshop or attend
one of the community workshops. The new on-line
workshop is another example of LADWP, as a city
governmental agency, working to make services more
accessible to our city residents and customers."

During November and December, a special insert will
accompany LADWP bills, describing the Trees for a
Green LA Program and alert all LADWP residential
customers about the free trees program and the new
on-line workshop.

The Trees for a Green LA program is open to LADWP
residential customers, although renters may
participate if they receive prior approval from their
property owner.

>From workshops, residents learn about proper tree
planning, planting and protecting techniques.
Residents then develop a site-specific plan based on
their own residence. Program representatives deliver
the trees to participating residents about two to
three weeks after the tree order is submitted to
LADWP. Then residents plant and care for the trees.

Lillian Kawasaki, LADWP assistant general manager for
environmental affairs and economic development, said
that an independent analysis for the program, which is
designed to add thousands of shade trees annually to
Los Angeles' urban forest, shows that each tree
planted will save an average of 81 kilowatt-hours of
electricity annually. That's enough energy to keep a
typical refrigerator operating for a week.

Kawasaki added that trees also improve air quality,
lessen greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce storm
water runoff.

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture analysis indicates
that trees are a very cost effective expenditure. For
every dollar spent on Trees for a Green LA,
approximately $17.50 will be returned as avoided costs
for energy supply and air pollution control," said Ed
Petok, LADWP Trees for a Green LA program manager.

LADWP is implementing Trees for a Green LA with the
support of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps and
several local community-based organizations.

Green LA and LADWP

Trees for a Green LA is part of the LADWP Green LA
Program that also includes Energy Efficiency, Green
Power, Solar Power, Recycling Initiative, Cool Schools
Tree Planting and Distributed Generation.

For more information on all of the LADWP Green LA
programs, residents should visit www.ladwp.com or call
1-800-GreenLA (1-800-473-3652).

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was
established more than 100 years ago to provide a
reliable and safe water and electric supply to the
city's businesses and residents. LADWP provides water
and energy to the 3.9 million residents and businesses
of the city in a 465 square mile area.
Contact:

     Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
     Walter Zeisl, 213-367-1342
     213-792-5521 cell phone


Source: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power