Houston – April 20, 2023 – In honor of Earth Day, CenterPoint Energy employees throughout the company’s footprint are taking part in service and sustainability projects that will help build a sustainable future for our shared communities.
“CenterPoint Energy is dedicated to preserving our environment and encouraging our communities to engage in sustainable practices,” said Dave Lesar, Chief Executive Officer of CenterPoint Energy. “These projects demonstrate our commitment to taking actions that help build a cleaner future for all our stakeholders and that will provide environmental benefits for years to come.”
Volunteer projects from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast include:
CenterPoint Energy employees in Houston will join city leadership in front of City Hall for hands-on activities, displays, food, information and interactive booths showcasing city initiatives that are paving the way towards a cleaner, greener Houston. Some examples of activities leading up to Earth Day are:
- Fleet representatives sharing CenterPoint Energy’s fleet electrification and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure experience on a transportation panel;
- CenterPoint Energy booth staffed by employees providing information on energy efficiency programs and showcasing one of the company’s Ford F-150 Lightning trucks;
- Tree giveaway in coordination with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department and Trees for Houston. Trees for Houston is a long-time community partner and a CenterPoint Energy Foundation grantee; and
- Sharing information about ongoing customer support in meeting their emission reduction goals by delivering safe, reliable service that will charge their newly electrified fleets including:
- Houston METRO’s deployment of 20 electric buses
- Rental car charging projects at both Houston airports
- Electrification of 10 Houston Independent School District buses
In Minneapolis, employees will collaborate with Great River Greening, a CenterPoint Energy Foundation grantee, to plant pollinator plants at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in one of their ongoing restoration areas. Great River Greening projects are aimed at improving the region’s natural resources by strengthening ecological systems and promoting stewardship and management of critical lands and waters. Volunteers for this project will create a critical habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects that play a vital role in the ecosystem.
CenterPoint Energy volunteers in Lake Charles will team up with The Nature Conservancy on an “Oyster Restoration Experience.” The CenterPoint Energy Foundation provided The Nature Conservancy with a grant in 2021 to support the building of oyster reefs to help clean the freshwater flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, contributing to the success of Gulf-wide fisheries. Volunteers will collect and measure oysters growing along the reef and record data monitoring the progress.
“The spirit of volunteerism is alive and thriving at CenterPoint Energy and we are proud of our employees’ dedication to enhancing the vitality of our communities through their participation in these impactful projects,” said Jason Wells, President and Chief Operating Officer of CenterPoint Energy. “This spirit lives on year-round at the company. In 2022, our employees gave more than 86,000 volunteer hours and the CenterPoint Energy Foundation donated more than $16 million to support nonprofit organizations and charitable causes where we live and work.”