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Celebrate Earth Month 2011 with a Free Tree Courtesy of Green Mountain Energy Company

s leading competitive retail provider of clean energy and carbon offset solutions, will be in Houston, Dallas, and McAllen during April to celebrate Earth Day by giving away free trees. Beginning April 1, the company will give away approximately 1,500 Red Oak Tree Liners and Live Oak trees to people attending Earth Day events where Green Mountain will have a presence. As trees are limited at each event, visitors should come to the Green Mountain booth(s) as early as possible.

“Earth Day is our favorite holiday as we can focus on our shared goal of a cleaner environment, and we are thrilled to be able to educate and give away trees to people that live in the communities we serve,” said Paul Markovich, president, Residential Services, Green Mountain Energy Company. “We hope local residents and customers will come out to the Earth Day events in their cities in April to learn more about our company, pick up a tree, plant it in their neighborhoods, and continue to help us fulfill our mission ‘to change the way power is made.’”

Markovich added that Green Mountain looks forward to having additional visitors at its booths and giving away as many free trees as possible to residents in North Texas, Houston and the Rio Grande Valley. For more information about Green Mountain’s Earth Month tree giveaway, visit: .

Residents can pick up their free trees from Green Mountain booths at the following Earth Day events on a first-come, first-served basis:

McAllenRio Grande Valley Home and Garden Show, McAllen Convention CenterFriday, April 1 (3pm to 8 pm)Saturday, April 2 (10am to 6 pm)Sunday, April 3 (11am to 6 pm)100 Live Oak trees will be given away to the first visitors to the Green Mountain booth.

Vida Verde Earth DayQuinta MazatlanSaturday, April 16 (9 am. to 4 pm)Trees for first 10 people to finish the Run Wild 5K190 free Live Oak Trees will be given away to the first visitors to the Green Mountain booth

DallasEarth Day DallasAT&T Plaza and Pioneer Plaza - Downtown Arts DistrictFriday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23 (10 am. to 5 pm) 600 Red Oak Liners will be given away. First 300 people to visit the Green Mountain boothwill walk away with a free tree.

HoustonEarth Day HoustonDiscovery Green Park - Downtown HoustonSaturday, April 23 (10am to 4pm)600 Red Oak Liners will be given away. First 300 people to visit the Green Mountain booth will walk away with a free tree.

The trees are native to their respective areas and not only do they allow people to hone their gardening skills, but they also absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and may even help save money on future energy bills. A full grown Red Oak tree absorbs approximately 903 pounds of CO2 each year while a full grown Live Oak tree absorbs about 1,569 pounds of CO2 each year. Strategically placed, trees provide shade and can increase home energy efficiency. Additionally, trees also contribute to air quality and property value. The trees will come with planting tips and care instructions to ensure that they grow tall and strong.

Each Earth Day event will feature arts and crafts, demonstrations, eco-expos, and cuisine demonstrating the use and application of environment-friendly practices and lifestyles. Green Mountain is an official sponsor of Earth Day Houston, Earth Day Dallas, and the Rio Grande Valley Home and Garden Show.

The History of Earth Day:

When did Earth Day start in the U.S.?    20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day on April 22nd, 1970.

Why did it start?     Senator Gaylord Nelson wanted the environment to be a higher priority for the American people and politicians.

When did Earth Day go global?     People from 140 countries participated in the 20th anniversary of Earth Day in 1990.

What is Earth Day like today?    Earth Day has turned into a month-long celebration when people all over the world attend events, participate in helping the Earth, and put the environment at the top of their priority lists.

About Green Mountain Energy CompanyGreen Mountain, the nation’s leading competitive retail provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset solutions, was founded in 1997 to “change the way power is made.” The company is the longest serving green power marketer in the U.S. Green Mountain offers consumers and businesses the choice of clean electricity products from renewable sources, such as wind, as well as a variety of carbon offset products. Green Mountain’s largest customer is the “world’s most famous office building,” the Empire State Building in New York City. Green Mountain customers have collectively helped avoid over 11.3 billion pounds of CO2 emissions. As a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Green Mountain is back by one of the nation’s largest renewable power producers. For more information, visit

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Marci GrossmanGreen Mountain Energy Company602-694-8972Email Information