LANSING, Mich., April 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Michigan
International Speedway and Consumers Energy today announced a joint
venture to plant 50,000 trees across Michigan during the Michigan Arbor Day Celebration.
The two companies formed a partnership to provide 50,000 trees
to the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts to be planted
across Michigan. It is part of an
effort between the track and energy provider to get On Track to a
Greener Michigan.
"MIS takes great pride in knowing that our green initiatives
have made a significant, positive impact to the environment and
sport of auto racing, and we continue to do different things to
move forward with those initiatives," MIS President Roger Curtis said. "It's the right thing to do
to protect our environment. Our brand at MIS is very much an
environmentally friendly one and our partnership with Consumers
Energy makes that even easier."
"We have adopted sustainability as a company-wide goal. Our
employees do their jobs with a fundamental commitment to leave our
company and state better than we found them," said Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy's vice
president and chief customer officer. "With the help of Michigan
International Speedway, we are striving to fulfill the needs and
wants of our generation without compromising the ability of future
generations to do the same."
The 50,000 white pine trees were split among all 78 conservation
districts throughout Michigan. The
districts have already planted many of the allocated pines this
spring during peak planting times in publicly accessible areas that
can be enjoyed by everybody. The remaining trees will be planted in
the fall when conditions are more conducive to the survival of
trees.
As part of its ongoing efforts to improve the environment, MIS
annually introduces programs that have made an immediate impact on
the environment.
Michigan International Speedway last year became the largest
participant in Consumers Energy's Green Generation program,
matching 100 percent of its electricity use with renewable energy.
More than 18,000 homes and businesses in Michigan participate in Green Generation,
contributing each month to purchase power from renewable sources,
all made in Michigan. Consumers
Energy will continue to educate guests at MIS about energy
efficiency in their own homes.
MIS is the first facility in all of motorsports and one of the
first sporting venues in the country to join the EPA's Green Power
Partnership and offset its energy use from green power. The track
uses nearly 5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of green power
annually.
The announcement was part of the 20th annual Michigan
Arbor Day Celebration at Potter Park
in Lansing, Michigan. This event
brought over 1,100 students and 24 organizations from
throughout mid-Michigan to
celebrate trees and natural resources.
"MADA is excited to partner with Michigan International Speedway
and Consumers Energy in this great initiative," State Arbor Day Coordinator Jennifer Hunnell said. "Planting trees and being
good caretakers of our natural resources is what MADA is all about.
This is a fantastic way to expand our presence in the state, and we
thank MIS and Consumers for this opportunity."
The Michigan Arbor Day Alliance is
a coalition of organizations and agencies dedicated to the
promotion and celebration of Arbor
Day throughout Michigan.
The Michigan Arbor Day Alliance is a
program of the Eaton Conservation District in Charlotte, Michigan and is made possible
through a partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural
Resources.
Nestled in the lush Irish Hills
of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan
International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR
national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in
racing and camaraderie. It's the love of racing and the thrill of a
great time for race fans and drivers alike.
Consumers Energy, Michigan's
largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE:
CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million of the
state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula
counties.
For more information about Consumers Energy, go to
www.ConsumersEnergy.com.
Check out Consumers Energy on Social
Media
https://www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan
https://twitter.com/consumersenergy
https://www.youtube.com/user/consumersenergy
https://www.flickr.com/photos/consumersenergy/
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SOURCE Consumers Energy