ATLANTA – Every April, Georgia Power employees celebrate Earth Month by participating in stewardship projects that protect and enhance the communities in which they live and work.

This year marks the 50th national anniversary of the recognition of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22nd.

With annual volunteer clean-ups and other community activities postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Georgia Power challenges employees and fellow citizens to participate in stay-at-home initiatives and projects this Earth Day. 

Promoting pollinators

Over the past few years, Georgia Power has partnered with Bee Downtown and joined other companies across metro Atlanta to help create the largest pollinator corridor in the country for honey bees. With three hives and more than 150,000 bees calling the courtyard at Georgia Power’s corporate headquarters home, the company is helping to rebuild a healthy ecosystem for this critical creature. Children and their families alike can learn more about the importance of honey bees through THE HIVE – an interactive website full of team-building opportunities, activities for kids, recipes, beekeeping lessons and more.

Plant with a focus on the future

Planting in your yard is another great stay-at-home activity this Earth Day. Georgia Power reminds customers to keep a focus on the future when working in the yard or garden, including planting the right plants for Georgia’s climate and ecosystem. Trees are better planted in late winter, but shrubs and native plants can be planted into spring. Knowing how tall a shrub will grow and planting accordingly decreases the likelihood of future power outages in the event of a storm. In areas within 15 feet of electric utility wires, plant only trees and shrubs that will grow no taller than 25 feet.

With spring planting, Georgia Power also reminds customers of the importance of calling 811 before digging. Georgia 811 works to ensure projects are safe and comply with the “Georgia Dig Law.” The law requires contacting Georgia 811 before digging to have all underground utility lines clearly marked. Georgia residents can call the free service at 8-1-1 or (800)-282-7411, or submit an electronic request at www.Georgia811.com.

Save energy this Earth Day

Simple tips focused on energy savings this Earth Day as customers continue to spend time at home include:

• Set it for the season: Set thermostats to 78 degrees during warm weather months. With each degree higher you set your thermostat; you can see a 3-4% decrease in energy use. Don’t forget, you can use fans to help you feel cooler, even with a higher thermostat setting.
  
• Phase out phantom energy loss: To avoid phantom loss, unplug devices when not in use, or use a smart power strip and turn off the strip when equipment or devices are not in use.
  
• Choose wisely with appliances: Avoid using appliances that produce heat during the hottest times of the day and avoid frequent opening of refrigerators and freezers. Also, consider using your outdoor grill to help save additional energy.
  
• Feel the flow; free your filters: Clean or change air conditioning filters each month. A dirty filter can make your equipment work harder, resulting in higher bills. Make sure furniture, curtains, rugs and other items do not block vents and return air registers.
  
• Follow on and off advice: Turn off TVs, computers and other electronic devices when not in use. Consider energy-saving settings, which are often available on newer equipment and appliances.
  
• Save with LEDs: Save energy and money by changing a standard light bulb in your home to an ENERGY STAR®-qualified LED bulb. LEDs use 90% less energy than standard bulbs and can last up to 15 times longer. You can visit our Georgia Power Marketplace for instant savings on LED lighting, and have them delivered directly to your home.

In 2019, more than 350 employee volunteers participated in 22 Earth Day projects around the state ranging from building beehives and birdhouses to landscaping projects. Last year, the company planted 500,000 trees on land throughout Georgia and restored 178 acres of longleaf pine habitat, while employees and volunteers cleaned up more than 47 tons of trash from Georgia waterways through various cleanup events.

To learn more about Georgia Power’s environmental commitment, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com/Environment.