While we support environmental stewardship year-round, April’s Earth Month offers us a great opportunity to promote sustainable practices.
Here are three ways we’re celebrating Earth Month:
Earth Day
Now in its 29th year, Tucson’s Earth Day Festival was co-founded by TEP and the City of Tucson. This year, we’re sponsoring the April 20 event at Children’s Museum Tucson, another longstanding TEP partner.
TEP representatives will distribute Net Zero Hero capes and shirts to those who pledge to support our aspirational goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Customers are asked to do their part to fight climate change by reducing our community’s carbon footprint, in alignment with the Earth Day theme. Learn more about the Net Zero Hero pledge.
Also at the event, participants can ride energy-generating bicycles, learn more about our energy resources and collect some energy-saving tips.
“When the concept for the very first Tucson Earth Day Festival began in 1995, the City of Tucson and TEP came together to launch the collaborative effort, and we’ve been an active participant ever since,” said Wendy Erica Werden, Manager of Community Investment and Philanthropy. “This festival is one way we show our commitment to working closely with our community partners to direct resources in support of environmental programs.”
The festival runs from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the museum, 200 S. Sixth Ave. Museum admission is free on that day. Learn more about Earth Day.
Oro Valley Trees
TEP is helping the Town of Oro Valley go green for its 50th anniversary.
As part of its celebration, the town is planning to plant 50 trees at local parks. TEP is donating 10 trees toward that goal and connected Oro Valley to our partner, Civano Growers, which extended discounts for the remaining trees.
The first of those trees will be planed at Town Hall by members of the Town Council on April 26, Arbor Day. The following day, the public is invited to help plant the remaining 49 trees at four parks: James D. Kreigh, Naranja, Riverfront, and Steam Pump Ranch.
“We always try to be conservation-minded and we get a lot of requests for trees in our parks. A lot of times, shade is overlooked when constructing parks,” said Matt Jankowski, Oro Valley’s Parks & Recreation Deputy Director. “This donation is wonderful. It is allowing us to stretch the funds available for us, so hopefully we can purchase more trees throughout the year.”
TEP supports tree planting efforts to make communities greener, add beauty, and reduce the heat island effect. Our support has included $100,000 donated toward the City of Tucson’s Million Trees Initiative in 2021. Our Trees for You program allows customers to purchase discounted shade trees that help conserve energy by keeping homes and businesses cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Learn more about the Trees for You program.
Tucson Zero Waste
Employees inspired by our company’s “green team” volunteer at waste collection events hosted by Tucson Zero Waste, including the most recent one on April 6, pictured here.
Thirteen volunteers, including friends and family members, gathered items to be reused and recycled this month.
During the free drive-through event, participants donated items that will be recycled, or properly disposed, such as medication, small furniture and housewares, E-waste, books, and clothing. Volunteers helped with traffic flow and supported various collection booths.
The collection event is held twice a year in April and November, giving residents the opportunity to avoid putting items in the trash. More than 30 TEP volunteers have contributed to these efforts over the years.
“Hundreds of community members participated at each of the events,” said Ariada Woods, a TEP Student Intern and Zero Waste volunteer. “It’s fulfilling to see the event support our community’s commitment to sustainability.”
TEP’s “green team,” officially called Employees Creating Opportunities for Sustainability (ECOS), was formed to give employees a forum to work on promoting resource conservation, recycling and waste reduction both at work and after hours. More than 200 employees are part of the team, which hosts quarterly presentations and other opportunities.
