Recent entries by Stephanie Rico

I'm pleased to introduce you to Matt Wadley from Corporate Communications, who is responsible for managing communications for Wells Fargo's marketing efforts, including our sponsorship of the Wells Fargo Championship.

As we've mentioned before on the blog, Wells Fargo aims to weave environmental stewardship into everything we do because through our everyday actions we can make a difference. Matt is here today to share with you how the tournament team is driving sustainability on the greens. Take it away, Matt! (SR)

As the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship returns to Charlotte, N.C. this week, it marks the 10th anniversary of one of the PGA TOUR's most popular tournaments.

For the past decade, the event has provided golf fans with world-class competition from the games' top golfers. It's also made a significant impact on important organizations, donating $13.5 million in tournament proceeds.

The Wells Fargo Championship also places a focus on recycling and preserving natural resources. In 2011, the tournament was able to produce impressive results from its "greener" effort thanks to the awareness of patrons, volunteers and support from ReCommunity, who sorted and processed all materials. Working together, the team collected 43 tons of recycled material that included paper, cardboard, plastic and aluminum. In addition, the golf course uses a water filtration method to recycle water that is used to maintain the fairways and greens.

This year, just like last, recycling containers will be available all over the golf course, making it easy for patrons to properly dispose of aluminum and plastic.

Wells Fargo recently announced an enhanced commitment to environmental leadership that includes some pretty significant goals for the next 8 years. We're excited that our sponsorship of the Wells Fargo Championship offers yet another avenue to help promote "greener" habits and environmental stewardship.

Hey Wells Fargo Environmental Forum readers, just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Earth Day and share this short video from the Earth Day Network!

As you recall, the theme this year is "Mobilize the Earth." What does that mean exactly? In their words:

For Earth Day 2012 we are mobilizing the planet simply to say one thing: the Earth won't wait. It seems that environmental issues have been put on the back burner as we are in the midst of a global recession. It is time for us to Mobilize the Earth™ and speak with one voice, one message.

So today—and every day, really—we encourage each and every one of you to speak up on behalf of the Earth. Remember, we've said it before and we'll say it again: Every little bit helps!

Have a wonderful day!

Wells Fargo Environmental Forum readers, as you may have observed we're having "A busy April" with tons of Earth Day activities. Now, I'm pleased to turn today's post over to Marketing Manager Jenna Dunham, who is here to discuss even more Earth Day activities, as well as encourage you to participate in our Online Statements Sweepstakes! (—SR)

Earth Day is a few days away, making it a great time for all of us to think about what we can do to help the environment!

That includes us, of course, and we're excited to do our part. This week we announced our Online Statements Sweepstakes, which will hopefully encourage our customers to go paperless and conserve trees. We're also conducting two tree recovery campaigns in California and Missouri along with our friends at the Arbor Day Foundation.

First, the sweepstakes. Now through May 31, 2012, for each eligible account statement you switch to online only statement delivery, you'll automatically be entered for a chance to win $25,000 or one of 20 $1,000 prizes! (And there's no purchase necessary to enter or win the sweepstakes—see the official rules for complete details.) We encourage all of our customers to switch to paperless statements for the environmental aspects, as well as for the convenience and increased security.

In fact, according to December 2011 estimates (using the Environmental Paper Network's Paper Calculator and provided statements weren't printed at home), our customers have helped conserve more than 223,000 trees by turning off 649 million paper statements. That's a lot of trees and avoided clutter on your desks!

Second, the tree recovery campaigns. In appreciation of customers who choose paperless banking options whenever possible, we're pleased to support the planting of trees, especially in areas of need. This year we're donating 50,000 trees to California's Six Rivers National Forest in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. The donated trees are expected to contribute to an improved ecosystem in the forest—which extends 140 miles south from the Oregon-California border—for years to come.

We're also working with the Foundation's Joplin Tree Recovery Campaign, to help the people of Joplin, Missouri, restore the community trees lost due to last year's devastating tornado. The Foundation and Well Fargo volunteers will distribute thousands of tree seedlings to Joplin residents on Saturday, April 21, 2012.

What are YOU doing to help the environment and celebrate this Earth Day? We'd love to hear! Please let us know in the comments section.

Environmental Forum readers, do you know any schools, classrooms, or students who might want to put their "green" awareness to the test? Tell them to participate in the Go Green Initiative Earth Day Contest!

Supported by GlogsterEDU and the Go Green Initiative, the contest is a perfect opportunity for students to learn more about their communities and earn Earth Day-themed prizes for themselves, their classroom, or their school.

Students start off by choosing one, two, or all three of the following systems in their communities to focus on: the water system, the food system, and the energy system.

Then they create a Glog, which is essentially an online poster (there's a really good example here) with text, images, audio, and video demonstrating how a system works in their community and ways it could be greener or more sustainable. The most informative and creative Glogs by individual students, classrooms, and schools will win!

This is a really fun contest, and we love that it supports environmental education and awareness building at a local level. For our part, we're supporting the contest by providing a prize: Our Wells Fargo stagecoach and horses will visit a school and give students rides—local conditions permitting, of course.

For a list of prizes, official contest rules, and other details, please go to the Earth Day Contest page. Entries must be submitted by April 22, 2012.

Good luck, and please use the comment section to tell us about your school's or student's entry!

I'm pleased to introduce our latest guest blogger, Sean Barry, director of media relations for the Arbor Day Foundation (ADF), who has the wonderful job of inspiring people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees.

Sean is here to provide information about our most recent efforts with ADF aimed at showing appreciation for our customers who've made the switch to online only statements, thereby saving paper. (—SR)

America's forests are a treasured legacy, threatened by insects, disease, and devastating wildfires. That's why partners like Wells Fargo are essential to helping the ADF fulfill our mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.

With support from Wells Fargo, the Foundation will plant 50,000 trees in Six Rivers National Forest, which stretches from the Oregon-California border for about 140 miles and nearly one million acres of forestland in northwest California.

The six rivers after which the forest was named—the Smith, Klamath, Eel, Trinity, Van Duzen and Mad—support exciting recreation activities, such as kayaking and whitewater rafting, as well as large populations of Chinook and Coho salmon, and steelhead, rainbow, and cutthroat trout for some of the best fishing in the world.

Wells Fargo is also a partner in the Foundation's Joplin Tree Recovery Campaign, occurring in April. The campaign is a joint effort with the Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Centerto help the people of Joplin, Missouri, restore the community trees lost due to last year's devastating tornado. The Foundation will provide 2,000 tree seedlings to Joplin residents as a result of support from Wells Fargo.

All of us at the Foundation look forward to our continued partnership with Wells Fargo in restoring and replanting community and forestland trees.

We've blogged about our Environmental Finance Report before, and it's time to once again!

Right off the bat, we want to say that our customers are leading the way in creating a better, more sustainable future—and we proudly support them. As of 2011, we've provided more than $11.7 billion in loans and investments to businesses and projects with a direct positive impact on the environment.

A few of the highlights of the 2011 Environmental Finance Report (PDF*) include:

• Approximately $450 million in capital deployed to solar photovoltaic projects, doubling total investment in the sector to more than $900 million
• Approximately $200 million in wind project investments, increasing total wind investment to date to more than $1.6 billion
• Over $1.5 billion in loans to LEED®-certified commercial buildings and community development projects
• More than $150 million in loans to commercial banking and community banking cleantech customers

In addition to increasing our financial commitments, we continue to expand new product offerings—such as renewable energy construction financing and cleantech insurance brokerage—while building upon the traditional banking services that we offer customers.

If you're interested, we definitely encourage you to read the report for more details. You can also email us. And please keep those comments and questions coming!

* You will need Adobe® Reader® to view PDF files. Download Adobe Reader.

Environmental Forum readers, we hope you'll join us and hundreds of millions of people worldwide in Earth Hour 2012 in a united call to action on climate change. The message is illustrated very well in this following Earth Hour video:

To participate, simply turn off your non-essential lights on Saturday, March 31, 2012, from 8:30pm–9:30pm (local time). You can also show your support for via Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels.

This is our fifth consecutive year as an Earth Hour supporter. We continue to champion the movement in the ways we've blogged about before, in both 2010 and 2011.

We're particularly proud that our Earth Hour promotion appears on more than 12,000 of our ATMs nationwide from today through March 31, and that it will reach millions of our customers!

A side note: Speaking of our ATMs, we're happy to say we've done away with deposit envelopes at all of them, and that over 20% of our customers (like you!) are choosing the ATM eReceipt option to save unnecessary paper too.

Sharp eyes will notice that this year there's a new "+" sign after "60"in the Earth Hour logo—it represents a commitment to add a positive act for the planet that goes beyond just Earth Hour. Here are a few examples how Wells Fargo is going beyond Earth Hour:

• Conserving energy. We increased the energy efficiency of our buildings by 12% from 2008 to 2011.
• Recycling. Through our recycling efforts, we estimate that we divert more than 50% of our waste from landfills.
• Financing. Since 2005, we have provided more than $11.5 billion in financing to renewable energy projects and other environmentally beneficial business opportunities. Those projects are outlined in our 2012 Environmental Finance report, which will be released on Tuesday, March 20.

How will YOU go beyond the hour? Please tell us—and share your feedback—in comments!

I'm pleased to introduce our latest guest blogger, who has more than seven years experience studying redwood forest ecology and a doctorate degree in the physiological influence of climate on coast redwood forest plants from the University of California. Emily Limm, Ph.D, Director of Science Save the Redwoods League, has joined us today to raise awareness about the Redwoods & Climate Change Initiative, which is supported in part by Wells Fargo. (—SR)

When I stand beneath the tallest trees on Earth, I'm always struck by the same sense of amazement that the redwoods in front of me have withstood hundreds of years of challenges and yet still grow taller. Pelted by rain and lightning in the winter, bleached by the drying sun in the summer, burned by forest fires throughout their lifetimes—all the redwoods we see today have grown towards the sky in an ever-changing redwood forest.

They are descendants of ancient trees that once lived throughout the northern hemisphere about 160 million years ago, but now grow only in a narrow strip of forest along the coast of Northern California and on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. We find them today where climate still provides enough moisture to quench the thirst of these giants, but the climate is changing.

As we search to understand what climate change means for our future and the health of our planet, Save the Redwoods League is looking for clues hidden deep in the redwood forest and within the redwood trees themselves.

In partnership with scientists from Humboldt State University and the University of California, Berkeley, we are studying how past and current climate changes have affected the redwoods' ability to thrive so that we can better understand how future changes will shape the redwood forests in the centuries ahead.

The beautiful wood of the redwood trees is a phenomenal record of monthly and yearly rainfall and temperature in the redwood forest. Through our Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative (please visit for more information!), we are analyzing redwood tree rings to construct a unique climate record for North America that will explain just how much our climate has changed over the past centuries, and we will de-code how redwoods grow throughout their lifetimes in response to climate.

This exciting science partnership is now underway!

Please allow me to introduce guest blogger, Stephanie Smith! Stephanie is executive vice president for Wells Fargo Internet Services Group, where she leads the development, operations, and management of our online sales platforms on wellsfargo.com, as well as the marketing activities for consumer and small-business products and services through our online, email and mobile channels.

One of many areas Stephanie and her team focus on is showing customers how they can help protect the environment by choosing Online Statement delivery and using Bill Pay. Today on the blog, she provides more insight into why both provide the benefit of convenience, improved record keeping and fraud prevention, while helping the environment.

And if you're not already paying bills online, don't forget about our Bill Pay Sweepstakes currently underway! (—Stephanie)

With all the news about environmental issues facing the world today, it's easy to see why some might think there's little they can do to make a difference or be confused about what actions really "help the environment." However, there are little things we can do in our everyday lives that, when added up, will make a big difference.

This year, Wells Fargo, with the help of the Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit conservation and education organization, is encouraging everyone to "Do One Thing for the Environment" by switching to Online Statements and Online Bill Pay to help save trees and protect the planet.

We strive to be a responsible environmental steward in every community where we do business. Since we began offering Online Statements, a total of 626 million paper statements have been eliminated, which translates into an environmental savings of more than 200,000 trees.¹

Last year, in honor of customers who opted for paperless statements, we planted 40,000 trees in Michigan's Pere Marquette State Forest. This year, Wells Fargo and the Arbor Day Foundation will team up again to plant even more trees in forests across the U.S.

Switching to Online Statements and Bill Pay is a convenient way to keep track of your finances and a great way to "go green." Plus, from now until April 30, 2012, we're giving customers the chance to win $25,000 for using Online Bill Pay—and an additional 60 customers will win $500 each, awarded 20 per month in February, March and April.²

Keep coming back to the blog for updates on our progress, additional tips for going "green," and to let us know what you think about our environmental efforts.

In the meantime, please tell us: What one thing are YOU doing to help the environment?

¹ Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environmental Paper Network Paper Calculator. For more information, visit www.papercalculator.org.

² NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. BILL PAY ENTRIES AND NON-BILL PAY ENTRIES SUBMITTED BY MAIL HAVE AN EQUAL CHANCE OF WINNING. Sweepstakes runs from 12:01 AM Pacific Time ("PT") on 2/1/12 to 11:59 PM PT on 4/30/12 ("Promo Period"). Sweepstakes is open to Wells Fargo customers as of 1/31/12 who are legal residents of the U.S., 18 years of age and older. Wells Fargo employees not eligible. One sweepstakes entry will be automatically given for every payment sent during the Promo Period using Wells Fargo's Bill Pay or Business Bill Pay services ("Bill Pay") including Bill Pay payments submitted through a mobile device. Prizes: (60) $500 prizes awarded from prizes awarded, 20 per month February, March and April; entries not cumulative. Odds to win depend on number of automatic and mailed entries ("Entries") received each month. (1) $25,000 prize awarded from all Entries received in the Promo Period. Odds to win depend on total number of Entries received during Promo Period. For complete details, including drawing date and how to enter without using Bill Pay, see Sweepstakes Rules. Winner verification and redemption rules apply. Void where prohibited.

If you're not already paying bills online, please sign up and get started today—and if you're already paying bills online, please keep doing what you're doing!

During our Bill Pay Sweepstakes, for every online payment you send using Wells Fargo Bill Pay or Business Bill Pay between February 1 and April 30, 2012, you'll automatically be entered for a chance to win $25,000 or one of sixty $500 prizes—twenty in February, March and April!⁺

Once you try online bill pay and get into the habit of using it, you're sure to love it and wonder why you ever did things any other way. Aside from saving paper (which we always encourage), it allows you the convenience of paying your bills from one secure place. And if you like, you can set up email or text reminders for when your next payment is due to help avoid late fees and mail delays. Give it a try!

Aside from the possibility of winning big in the sweepstakes, here are the top five benefits to paying bills online:

	Environment. Use the PayItGreen® Paper Calculator on our Go Paperless tab to determine the environmental benefits associated with your switch to online bill pay. Then imagine the benefits multiplied as more and more people make the switch. For example, according to my calculations using the PayItGreen Paper Calculator, if all of our 70 million customers paid just one bill online each month, we could avoid more than 25.1 million pounds or 11.4 thousand metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. (Note: Find out what's included (PDF*) in the calculator.
	Money. Save money by paying bills without the expense of stamps and checks;  pay on time, every time with our Payment Guarantee, you may never pay another late fee again.
	Security. Receive bills online so you can pay and view your bills all in one secure place; avoid the risk of mail fraud and identity theft.
	Control. You decide who, when, how much, and how often to pay. Set up recurring bills to be paid automatically, and never worry about a late payment again; pay utilities, phone companies, your landlord, and even your babysitter when you want.
	Time. Pay an entire month's worth of bills in minutes, after you set up your payees.

What are some of the other benefits? Please tell us what you think and help us encourage others to pay bills online and transition to a more efficient and paperless environment!

* You will need Adobe® Reader® to view PDF files. Download Adobe Reader.

⁺ NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. BILL PAY ENTRIES AND NON-BILL PAY ENTRIES SUBMITTED BY MAIL HAVE AN EQUAL CHANCE OF WINNING. Sweepstakes runs from 12:01 AM Pacific Time ("PT") on 2/1/12 to 11:59 PM PT on 4/30/12 ("Promo Period"). Sweepstakes is open to Wells Fargo customers as of 1/31/12 who are legal residents of the U.S., 18 years of age and older. Wells Fargo employees not eligible. One sweepstakes entry will be automatically given for every payment sent during the Promo Period using Wells Fargo's Bill Pay or Business Bill Pay services ("Bill Pay") including Bill Pay payments submitted through a mobile device. Prizes: (60) $500 prizes awarded from prizes awarded, 20 per month February, March and April; entries not cumulative. Odds to win depend on number of automatic and mailed entries ("Entries") received each month. (1) $25,000 prize awarded from all Entries received in the Promo Period. Odds to win depend on total number of Entries received during Promo Period. For complete details, including drawing date and how to enter without using Bill Pay, see Sweepstakes Rules. Winner verification and redemption rules apply. Void where prohibited.