Chicago-based ComEd (Exelon) is promoting a new initiative to reduce paper usage and waste by promising to donate trees when customers sign up for electronic billing and statements. From their news release:

To raise awareness about the environmental benefits of going paperless, ComEd this month pledges to donate one tree for every 100 customers who enroll in e-Bill and direct debit in March. The trees will be purchased for planting at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill., to commemorate Arbor Day.

ComEd customers can go paperless when they enroll in both e-Bill and direct debit.

ComEd claims this will reduce paper consumption by 1,344,000 pounds and save 13,000 trees, as well as reduce CO2 emissions by 3,399,000 pounds, which they say is the equivalent to taking 300 cars off the roads.

The question I frequently hear asked by opponents to this type of initiative is 'how much electricity will be used to send out electronic bills?' and the answer is very little. The machines used to send and receive electronic billing statements are the same machines that would be in use anyway, so any additional power consumption by using electronic systems is negligible, and the cost-benefit ratio always benefits switching to electronic systems.

To enroll in ComEd's paperless billing program, go to their website.