Chevrolet/Geo Environmental Center - One Million Trees - And Counting!
1 November 1996
Chevrolet/Geo Environmental Center One Million Trees - And Counting! 1996 Utah New Car & Truck Expo. Oct. 31-Nov. 3. SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 31 -- Visitors to the 1996 Utah New Car & Truck Expo are invited to visit the Chevrolet/Geo Environmental Center located within the Chevrolet/Geo exhibit. Chevrolet/Geo Environmental will have staff members and representatives of its local nonprofit partner, "TreeUtah," on hand to answer questions and distribute information on the program and regional activities to all interested auto show visitors. In 1996, Chevrolet/Geo Environmental is celebrating the planting of its one millionth tree in a seven year long national citizen partnership program. Each year, with the help of hundreds of thousands of volunteers, over 75 nonprofit and civic organizations, and more than 1,500 local Chevrolet/Geo dealers, Chevrolet/Geo Environmental has committed funds and personnel in order to create positive changes in local ecosystems across the country. Since 1989, the program has included urban forestry, environmental education, disaster relief and wilderness projects. The one millionth tree milestone was commemorated on October 12th, 1996 with a ceremonial "One Million Trees and Counting" planting of two ten-foot Honey locust trees and two dense yews evergreen shrubs at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, General Motors' new worldwide headquarters. CITIZENSHIP At Chevrolet/Geo, citizenship is part of a three-pronged program that also includes product and service. Since 1989, The Geo Tree Program has formed long-term private-public partnerships with American Forests, the USDA Forest Service, and more than 75 nonprofit community-based urban forestry groups around the U.S. Chevy Truck Outdoors supports a series of coordinated environmental restoration and conservation activities in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Tread Lightly! Inc., as well as other local, nonprofit organizations across the country. Both of these ongoing national initiatives rely on the efforts of the Chevrolet/Geo dealer network who, through their direct involvement, have been the driving force behind many hundreds of successful projects. PRODUCT The Chevrolet Motor Division continues to work to minimize any negative impact on the environment in the production of motor vehicles and to maximize the recyclability of each model. Asbestos has been eliminated from all brake systems and ozone-harming chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from all air-conditioning systems. Also, many models come standard with extended-life coolants and transmission fluids. Chevrolet engines now burn cleaner than ever before, emitting less than half the pollutants they did in 1982. In addition, the Geo "family" of cars (Prizm, Tracker and Metro) year after year continues to be one of the most fuel-efficient lines of automobiles sold in the United States. And, in 1996 -- for the seventh time in the past eight years -- the Geo Metro Coupe led all cars sold in the United States in gasoline mileage, delivering an astounding 44 city and 49 highway miles-per-gallon. As a leading developer of alternative power sources, General Motors recently became the first major automotive company to announce plans to market electric-powered vehicles, the EV-1 passenger car and the S-10 truck, which will come to showrooms in 1997. Chevrolet is also researching liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas, methanol, ethanol, and fuel-cell technology. SERVICE Across the nation, every dealer receives information and training about Chevrolet's corporate environmental commitment. As such, thousands of individual dealers have taken such important steps as establishing new, environmentally sensitive methods and practices to deal with hazardous wastes, installing energy-efficient heating and lighting systems and planting new trees and shrubs around the dealership property. In addition, some local Chevy dealers have begun providing used motor oil recycling centers for community residents, and all offer state-of-the-art fuel-emissions testing. These positive actions come under the heading of Chevrolet's comprehensive "Environmentally Smart Service" program. For more information on Chevrolet/Geo Environmental programs and involvement opportunities, call 1-800-873-3436. PLEASE NOTE. Staffing the Chevrolet/Geo Environmental Center at the show will be volunteers from TreeUtah, a nonprofit community and urban forestry organization which serves the State of Utah. Since 1988, TreeUtah has been involved in many environmental programs both in urban tree planting and ecological reforestation, with the help of more than 35,000 volunteers. The public is invited to stop by the Environmental Center exhibit to learn about local-area projects and to find out about opportunities for community involvement. SOURCE Chevrolet/Geo /CONTACT: Stuart Rowlands, 310-473-9353/