PlaNYC and Dewitt Stern Group Team Up with Mayor Bloomberg to Plant 30 Trees in East Harlem

The DeWitt Stern Group (DSG) has donated the first of thirty trees that will be planted along 3^rd Avenue in East Harlem in New York, as announced in a press release on PRNewswire today. The thirty trees will be a part of the PlaNYC Million Trees NYC Initiative, just part of a plan of Mayor Michael Bloomberg to make New York the "greenest" city in America.

The first tree will be planted today at 1966 3^rd Avenue. Attending the tree-planting event will be New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Manhattan Parks Commissioner William Castro, Broadway Producer Nelle Nugent and representatives from the DeWitt Stern Group.

Parks Commissioner Benepe said in the PRNewswire press release, "We're thankful for DeWitt Stern's donation which will beautify East Harlem and clean the air as well as help us move towards our goal of planting one million trees throughout the City over the next decade."

The DeWitt Stern Group is planting trees in inner city areas in both New York and Los Angeles as part of its DSGreenspace initiative. The DSGreenspace initiative is a response to the private insurance brokerage firm's recognition of the importance of a more sustainable way of doing business, for not only the social and environmental impacts, but also the economic benefits of saving on paper costs. DSG is both trying to reduce its carbon footprint by reducing paper use company-wide, by encouraging electronic communication, but also by encouraging other firms to do the same. The DeWitt Stern Group website has a tree counter in which DSG shows how many trees have been planted thus far (110).

DSG points out that saving trees also saves the environment from the chemicals needed in making paper. DSG is committed to reducing its paper usage by one-third this year. Additionally, the trees planted will absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air in Los Angeles and New York.

The Million Trees NYC campaign began earlier this month with the planting of a Carolina Silverbell in the Bronx by Mayor Bloomberg. The campaign plans to expand the New York City "urban forest" by 20 percent over the next ten years - one million trees. The Million Trees NYC is part if the many PlaNYC initiatives which include 126 other ideas to make New York "greener" or more sustainable. Other plans include making the NYC taxi fleet more fuel efficient and reducing traffic congestion by increasing the cost of driving a car into the city. Money will be invested in expanding the park system and installing more lights to increase usage and recreational activities.

Jolyon Stern, President of DSG added in the press release, " Trees make our streets more attractive; they provide shade for pedestrians, making it more hospitable for shoppers; they help purify the air; and they help to control rain run-off -- all factors which enhance property values and improve quality of life."

Sources: PRNewswire, DeWitt Stern Group, Office of the Mayor of New York City