SouthWest P&L

On an annual basis, for each customer on a Plant-A-Tree Plan, Southwest expects at least 18 trees to be planted per year based on an average homeowner’s electricity usage in Texas (estimated to be 18,000 kWhs per year). Enrolling in a Plant-A-Tree Plan allows you to support healthier forests, rivers and wildlife while turning on your lights!

“Forests slow the rain and sediment that runs off the land, and filter out sediment, nutrients, and pesticides before they reach the water.”*
“Sediment pollution on the Bay harms grasses, oysters, and fish. Forest buffers help trap particulate pollution before it enters the water. Trees and the organically rich forest soils are able to store vast amounts of nutrients and fertilizers, thereby preventing nutrients from contributing to pollution in the Bay. Clearing an acre of forest can increase nitrogen pollution entering nearby creeks by nearly 400 percent.”*
“Leaves and limbs that fall into the water provide food and habitat for aquatic insects and microbes that form the basis of the aquatic food chain. Trees along the water provide important nesting habitat and traveling corridors for songbirds and other wildlife. Woody debris that falls into streams provides cover for fish as well as creates pools and riffles that increase the diversity of habitat structure for fish. A tree canopy helps to shade water which, in turn, helps maintain dissolved oxygen levels and cool temperatures vital to some species.””
"If you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in 5 years your energy bills should be 3% less. In 15 years the savings will be nearly 12%." —Dr. E. Greg McPherson, Center for Urban Forest Research
"One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people."—U.S. Department of Agriculture
"The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day."—U.S. Department of Agriculture

The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation organization with nearly one million members. The Arbor Day Foundation’s mission is to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees, and to teach members about environmental stewardship. For more information on the Arbor Day Foundation and how to become involved in its programs, please visit www.arborday.org.