U-Haul Customers Surpass Milestone in Partnership with Tree Canada’s Grow Clean Air Program

PHOENIX (Nov. 13, 2014) – U-Haul customers have surpassed $100,000 in contributions to Tree Canada, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to planting trees in Canada. Since December 2011, more than 55,000 customers at U-Haul locations across Canada have contributed more than $122,000. One hundred percent of all contributions collected are directly forwarded to Tree Canada to fund the planting and care of native trees that offset carbon emissions. As these trees grow and become forests, they will provide a habitat for wildlife, preserve natural ecosystems and clean the air we breathe.

“U-Haul Canada has a very positive corporate mandate on sustainability. Our partnership with Tree Canada is one of many examples of our commitment to operate our business with future generations in mind, “ said Jake Spelic, area district vice president for U-Haul International. “We are thrilled with the success of this partnership and the positive effect it will have on our communities and neighborhoods.” 

The first tree-planting site chosen for this partnership was Sudbury, a city of 160,000 located in northern Ontario.  Sudbury was founded in 1883 near one of the largest nickel deposits in the world. The City of Greater Sudbury’s Regreening Program has been operating since 1978 to reclaim industrially damaged lands near the historic smelting sites. These sites were damaged by inappropriate logging, wildfires, dumping of the smelted material (“slag”), and acidic deposits from the smelter chimneys (acid rain) and roasting yards.

Now, 35 years into the Regreening Program, large strands of trees are present on a once-barren landscape. This has been accomplished by a very determined community and multiple partners contributing materials, equipment, labor and funding. To date, more than nine million trees have been planted by Tree Canada on once-barren land and more than 3,400 hectares have been treated with agricultural limestone. U-Haul is proud to contribute and help restore the health of this damaged environment.

“Tree Canada is extremely pleased to be partnering with U-Haul for our Grow Clean Air Program. U-Haul has clearly demonstrated its commitment to improving the environment while continuing to provide excellent service to its customers,” said Michael Rosen, president, Tree Canada.

Corporate social responsibility has always been a part of the U-Haul Company’s Core Values.

U-Haul continuously looks for ways to reduce, reuse and recycle…and to implement effective programs and policies to conserve energy and resources, and to protect the environment.

About U-Haul

U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran and his wife who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the mid- 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: “Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100 percent biodegradable.  Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

About Tree Canada

Tree Canada is a not-for-profit charitable organization established to encourage Canadians to plant and care for trees in urban and rural environments.  Tree Canada engages Canadian companies, government agencies and individuals to support the planting of trees, the greening of schoolyards, and other efforts to sensitize Canadians to the benefits of planting and maintaining trees. To date, nearly 80 million trees have been planted, more 550 schoolyards have been greened, and Tree Canada has helped organize 10 national urban forest conferences. More information about Tree Canada is available at www.treecanada.ca.

Richard Walker

Director of Communications and Program Development
Tree Canada
613-567-5545 ext. 224
rwalker@treecanada.ca

Contact:

Kristi Hickman
Sebastien Reyes
E-mail: publicrelations@uhaul.com
Phone: 602-263-6194
Website: uhaul.com