energy efficiency | iowa


Plant Some Shade®arrows

MidAmerican Energy partners with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in the Plant Some Shade residential tree-planting program, which is designed to work with local county conservation boards, resource conservation and development councils, and/or county extension offices (local project coordinators) to provide affordable and desirable landscape trees (6-8') for residents to purchase and plant on their property for long-term community reforestation.

Trees are ordered in bulk numbers from local nurseries to keep costs low and then distributed at a centralized location to minimize transportation costs. Tree recipients are given instructions on how to plant and care for their trees and also receive safety information regarding the danger of planting trees near power lines. A $30 per tree investment is required by tree recipients. Trees are not guaranteed or covered by warranty.

Know Before You Grow
  • Plan before you plant. Know how tall the tree you plant will be when it reaches maturity and plan appropriately. Planted too close to power lines, branches from tall trees can cause outages and pose serious electric hazards.
  • Get the scoop before you dig. For no-cost assistance with locating underground utilities, call Iowa One Call, Iowa's utility notification service, at 800-292-8989, or call 811. It's the law!
There is a maximum of two trees per customer; preordering and prepayment are required. Watch this site for upcoming events and order forms. Spring events usually are posted by mid-March, and fall events usually are posted in September.

Questions?
Email kawiller@midamerican.com or call 800-434-4017.

Top

Printable Version

Landscaping – Increase Shade Double Black Arrow
During the summer, sunlight streaming in windows forces an air conditioner to work harder, leading to increased energy use. While curtains can be closed, summer shade can be achieved by planting trees around your home. Learn More
Refrigerator and Freezer Operation Double Black Arrow
In most households, the refrigerator is the single biggest energy-consuming kitchen appliance, and a stand-alone freezer uses a comparable amount of energy. Learn More
Power Down Double Black Arrow
Personal computers use about the same amount of energy to start up as when they are on for about two seconds. Learn More