Brussels, 14th November 2012

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Brussels, 14th
November 2012

2. Switch to e-billing. Give a tree to your city Sign up
now!
E-billing
Switch to e-billing, simplify your life.
Hera is launching an important campaign with a dual environmental
advantage: by choosing to receive your bills by e-mail you will reduce
paper consumption and contribute to the creation of new urban green
areas.
For each 50 subscriptions, Hera will plant a tree in the city.
Goals
New e-billing
subscribers
New trees
in the city
CO2
avoided
CO2
absorbed
Sheets of
paper saved

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The idea
• To launch a campaign to promote electronic billing associated
with the planting of trees in the territory served by Hera.
• Ask clients to sign up for electronic billing while offering them
the opportunity to contribute to the planting of trees in the
city.
• The client’s environmental choice to sign up for electronic
billing is made even more attractive by offering a dual
environmental advantage with a positive effect from a social
standpoint.

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An innovative and
attentive approach
to the environment
An innovative and
attentive approach
to the environment
Social responsibility
and commitment to
the territory
The dematerialisation of bills combined with the planting of
trees in urban areas is an innovation in the utility industry and
a further demonstration of the Group’s commitment to the
environment and local communities
Transparency and
verifiable results
Transparency and
verifiable results
The trees will be planted in the municipalities of the area served
and the municipalities will identify the spaces where the
interventions will be carried out by taking into account social
aspects and the use of green areas (school areas, new residential
areas, parks, bike paths, etc. )
The progress of the urban reforestation programme can be
verified through partnerships with municipalities and the
preparation of technical protocols. Partnerships with other
entities will also be launched (schools, associations, etc..) that
will promote the initiative and ensure its implementation
The innovation

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The parties involved
The citizens, Hera and the Municipality together to create new
green areas or improve existing ones. Each with its own role in
contributing to the protection of the environment and reaching the
project goals.
The Citizen:
Contributes to
reducing the
consumption of
paper, saving
resources and
reducing waste.
The
Municipality:
Improves the
urban
environment
and the
citizens' quality
of life.
Hera:
Promotes a social
and
environmental
commitment and
strengthens the
Group's
involvement in
the territory.

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Environmental advantages
The project combines two actions that contribute to protecting the environment.
On one hand the process of dematerialisation generated by the electronic bill
prevents the consumption of large quantities of paper, reduces waste and
eliminates emissions associated with mailing. On the other hand, the planting of
trees increases the territory’s ability to absorb CO2.
Hera decided to contribute by planting trees in the cities to enhance the
environmental benefits resulting from dematerialisation. In fact, green areas in the
city play an important role in improving the urban environment.
ELECTRONIC BILL
AND NEW TREES
SAVINGS OF
PAPER
REDUCED
EMISSIONS
IMPROVED
URBAN
ENVIRONMENT

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Environmental and social
advantages
Environmental
benefits
Environmental
benefits
Urban
environment
and social
aspects
Absorption of CO2
and purification of
the air
Absorption of CO2
and purification of
the air
Improved and
more livable urban
environment
Improved and
more livable urban
environment
Over its entire life cycle (50 years) a tree
can absorb up to 3 t of CO2.
In addition to the absorption of CO2, the
trees also contribute substantially to the
absorption of pollutants in the air such as
pm10.
The plantings in the area promote the
creation of wooded areas in the city that
can be enjoyed and accessed by citizens,
improving air quality and the urban
environment

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Municipal partners
TOC
Modena
375
trees
Bologna
380
trees
TOC
Imola
Faenza
270
trees
TOC Forlì
Cesena
310
trees
TOC
Rimini
260
trees
TOC
Ferrara
200
trees
TOC
Ravenna
205
trees
The new green areas can be
created, upon the achievement
of the objectives, in all the
municipalities participating in
the initiative.
All 185 municipalities served
are involved in the initiative and
today the 23 largest cities (>
20,000 inhabitants) have already
joined, identifying the areas
where the approximately 1,500
trees will be planted.
We are currently working
towards involving smaller
municipalities (< 20,000
inhabitants) in the project.

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The species
…and many others…
Hackberry, Cherry, Beech, Ash, Larch, Sea Buckthorn, Elderberry,
Lime
White willow Black alder Elm White poplar

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The green areas
The 23 Municipalities involved up to today have identified 39
green areas divided as follows:
22 improvements of existing parks and public gardens
12 new green areas
4 school gardens
1 bicycle path
6 criteria for identifying the areas: environmental and social
aspects
Contribution to biodiversity
Absorption capacity
Visibility of the area
Urban regeneration and social value
Involvement of the local community
Urban-environmental value

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Thank you for your attention!
www.alberi.gruppohera.it
www.gruppohera.it