U-Haul and The Conservation Fund have worked together since 2007 to help raise both money and awareness to address climate change by planting trees. Since then, an astounding one million customers have chosen to contribute to the Fund’s Go Zero® program, resulting in the planting of 400,000 trees, the protection and restoration of 1,538 acres, and the building of parks and green jobs in underserved communities.
U-Haul offers customers the opportunity to donate $3, $5 or $10 at checkout to Go Zero to support conservation projects around the country. More than 17,000 U-Haul locations participate in the effort, and 100% of every dollar collected by U-Haul goes directly to The Conservation Fund.
Growing Results
Together with U-Haul, these one million “Heroes of Go Zero” have:
• Raised more than $3.5 million in support to The Conservation Fund.
• Planted 400,000 trees across more than 1,300 acres at six National Wildlife Refuges for vulnerable species like the Louisiana black bear.
• Protected 238 acres of working forests along California’s redwood region benefitting coho salmon and northern spotted owl through the purchase and retirement of more than 60,000 tons of carbon from The Conservation Fund’s Garcia River, Big River and Salmon Creek forests in Mendocino County.
• Supported forests that will trap an estimated 425,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the next 100 years.
• Planted 1,600 trees in Detroit’s Rouge Park and helped establish the Growing Detroit’s Green Economy Fund, a grant program aimed at supporting green entrepreneurs.
• Furthered the creation of Lindsay Street Park, the first park in the English Avenue neighborhood of downtown Atlanta. The park will bring cleaner air and water, safer places to play and more job opportunities to an underserved neighborhood.
U-Haul
“U-Haul has partnered with The Conservation Fund for eight years. This partnership has helped our company invest in the future of local communities and our nation as a whole. The one million U-Haul customers who have supported these valuable conservation projects demonstrate that the sustainability principles U-Haul was founded on continue to align with our customers’ values,” stated Stuart Shoen, executive vice president of U-Haul International. “My sincere gratitude goes to U-Haul customers, U-Haul team members and The Conservation Fund for their leadership and commitment to making a difference in the communities where we live, work and serve.”
The Conservation Fund
“Our partnership with U-Haul serves as a model for corporate social responsibility programs aimed at engaging customers and inspiring employees, and it’s rooted in a continued commitment by U-Haul and its customers to conservation and community,” said Jena Thompson Meredith, director of The Conservation Fund’s corporate relations. “Every tree we’ve planted and each acre of forestland we’ve protected with donations from U-Haul and its customers are gifts to the planet and people everywhere, made possible by one million champions of conservation at checkout. Three cheers to every U-Haul customer and employee who has made a difference since 2007. But we’ve only just begun. We can’t wait to realize the positive impacts on our planet and in our communities in the years to come.”
Reforestation projects in Louisiana, Kansas and Missouri benefit climate, water quality, wildlife habitat and local jobs. Forest protection efforts in California ensure sustainable forestry while protecting and restoring those lands. Urban planting efforts in cities such as Detroit, Michigan and Atlanta, Georgia support community revitalization and the protection of natural resources. To learn more about these projects visit the Tree Planting Partnerships page at uhaul.com.
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