Submitted: The Two Sides Team September 16, 2013

The Green Bay Packers First Downs for Trees program will enter its fourth season this year and is now presented in partnership with two environmentally-conscious companies, SCA and Green Bay Packaging Inc., both which have local manufacturing operations. First Downs for Trees is a cooperative effort with the Packers, the U.S. Forest Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Public Service.
Green Bay Packers – 13 September 2013

The Green Bay Packers First Downs for Trees program will enter its
fourth season this year and is now presented in partnership with two
environmentally-conscious companies, SCA and Green Bay Packaging Inc.,
both which have local manufacturing operations.

First Downs for
Trees is a cooperative effort with the Packers, the U.S. Forest Service,
the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Public
Service. One of the Packers’ Green Team initiatives, the program donates
trees to participating Brown County communities based on the number of
first downs achieved by the Packers in the previous season.

Last
year, the program received a $48,000, two-year grant from the U.S.
Forest Service as a part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. It’s
the second grant the program has received from the U.S. Forest Service.
With the additional grant money, the program is able to plant more
trees for each first down earned during the regular season. This will be
the third year that the U.S. Forest Service has been involved with the
program.

The program’s two new corporate sponsors have
sustainable efforts of their own, and will work with the Packers to
further the First Downs for Trees program in addition to their own
efforts. For more information on SCA’s efforts, please visit
sca.com/en/Sustainability1/. For more information on the efforts that
Green Bay Packaging is making, please visit
gbp.com/corporate/environmentsustainability.

With the new partnerships, the Packers are able to increase the number of trees planted in the community.

“The
Packers are looking forward to more trees going into our communities
with the help of our first downs,” said Packers President and CEO Mark
Murphy. “We are excited to further our efforts this season with the
additional help of our two new partners, SCA and Green Bay Packaging.”

“We
are excited to partner with the Packers and SCA on the First Down for
Trees program,” said Green Bay Packaging executive vice president Bryan
Hollenbach. “We are always looking for ways to enhance the environment
and this is a unique, fun program that gives us another reason to root
for the Packers and more first downs.”

“SCA’s roots in
sustainability began more than 80 years ago and today we are one of the
world’s largest owners of private forests,” said Joe Russo, SCA vice
president of sales & marketing, away from home professional hygiene
North America. “Partnering with the Packers to promote sustainability
through the First Downs for Trees program shows our commitment to
environmental stewardship locally, as well as globally.”

First
Downs for Trees complements the team’s recycling and landfill diversion
programs at Lambeau Field through carbon sequestration.

Since the
2010 season, the program has received more than $100,000 in support
which has resulted in the planting of more than 2,000 trees, providing
total lifetime benefits in excess of $9 million through stormwater
runoff reduction, CO2 reduction, energy savings, air quality improvement
and property value increase. Over their lifetime, the tree benefits
exceed the costs of planting and care, representing a 300 percent return
on investment. Tree benefits increase over time, highlighting the
importance of not only planting trees, but of providing ongoing
maintenance and protection.

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