Monday, December 9, 2019
Lincoln, Nebraska (December 6, 2019) — Viking Cylinders, a Hexagon Ragasco brand, today announced it is joining the Arbor Day Foundation for the launch of its Time for Trees initiative, a commitment to plant 100 million trees in forests and communities worldwide by 2022, alongside its partners. The initiative will leverage trees as a simple, powerful way to reverse the damage done by climate change and address the urgency of preserving the necessities of life – like clean air and water, healthy food and a livable climate – which are becoming increasingly compromised.
“The Time for Trees initiative is an important step in protecting the necessities of life, but we can’t do it alone. We’re thrilled that partners like Viking Cylinders are committed to coming together to drive change,” said Dan Lambe, President of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The Arbor Day Foundation is uniquely positioned support the reforestation efforts in California, Iowa and Nebraska.”
Viking Cylinders will fund planting a tree, whenever a consumer switches from a traditional steel propane tank to an eco-friendly Viking Cylinder propane tank. Consumers can easily swap their existing steel tanks for fiberglass at propane exchange cages at select retailers. Viking Cylinders and its propane company partners are working to expand availability nationally.
“Every time a consumer switches from a steel tank to a Viking Cylinder, we will plant a tree” said Sean Ellen, Managing Director of Hexagon Ragasco North America. “Viking Cylinder fiberglass propane tanks are better for the environment than steel tanks. Our products do not rust and therefore do not require harsh chemicals and paints for routine maintenance. Consumers love our tanks because they are lightweight, easy to transport and have a nice stable base. Plus, since you can see the propane inside, you will not run out unexpectedly in the middle of cooking out.”
Ultimately, the initiative will seek to leverage trees to deliver countless benefits to the environment, global economies and society, including:
For more information, contact Tarun Kundhi, +1 402-617-2335, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation’s Time for Trees initiative or how to get involved, please visit TimeforTrees.org.
About Hexagon Ragasco
Viking Cylinders is the North American brand of Hexagon Ragasco. Hexagon Ragasco is the world's leading producer of composite LPG cylinders with over 16 million units in globally and over 100,000 in the US. The high-volume, highly automated production facility in Raufoss, Norway is the most advanced of its kind world-wide. Hexagon Ragasco's products are unique and provide many advantages over steel cylinders in terms of safety and user-friendliness. Hexagon Ragasco is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hexagon Composites ASA. Learn more at vikingcylinders.com.
About Arbor Day Foundation
Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters, and valued partners. During the last 45 years, more than 300 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty and hunger.
As one of the world's largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees. More information is available at arborday.org.
“The Time for Trees initiative is an important step in protecting the necessities of life, but we can’t do it alone. We’re thrilled that partners like Viking Cylinders are committed to coming together to drive change,” said Dan Lambe, President of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The Arbor Day Foundation is uniquely positioned support the reforestation efforts in California, Iowa and Nebraska.”Viking Cylinders will fund planting a tree, whenever a consumer switches from a traditional steel propane tank to an eco-friendly Viking Cylinder propane tank. Consumers can easily swap their existing steel tanks for fiberglass at propane exchange cages at select retailers. Viking Cylinders and its propane company partners are working to expand availability nationally.
“Every time a consumer switches from a steel tank to a Viking Cylinder, we will plant a tree” said Sean Ellen, Managing Director of Hexagon Ragasco North America. “Viking Cylinder fiberglass propane tanks are better for the environment than steel tanks. Our products do not rust and therefore do not require harsh chemicals and paints for routine maintenance. Consumers love our tanks because they are lightweight, easy to transport and have a nice stable base. Plus, since you can see the propane inside, you will not run out unexpectedly in the middle of cooking out.”
Ultimately, the initiative will seek to leverage trees to deliver countless benefits to the environment, global economies and society, including:
- Environment: 100 million trees remove 578,000 tons of chemical pollution from the air.1 Forests also provide 75 percent of the world’s accessible fresh water2 by removing impurities and preventing erosion, and a single tree can absorb 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually3 to help regulate climate.
- Economy: Trees are a major pillar of the global economy. The timber sector generates $600 billion annually and 54.2 million jobs,4 and forests also contribute to the recreation and tourism industries.
- Society: Spending time in green spaces is proven to improve health – reducing stress levels, blood pressure and rates of cardiovascular disease. Forests also help advance medical breakthroughs. More than a quarter of modern medicine is derived from tropical forest plants.5
For more information, contact Tarun Kundhi, +1 402-617-2335, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation’s Time for Trees initiative or how to get involved, please visit TimeforTrees.org.
About Hexagon Ragasco
Viking Cylinders is the North American brand of Hexagon Ragasco. Hexagon Ragasco is the world's leading producer of composite LPG cylinders with over 16 million units in globally and over 100,000 in the US. The high-volume, highly automated production facility in Raufoss, Norway is the most advanced of its kind world-wide. Hexagon Ragasco's products are unique and provide many advantages over steel cylinders in terms of safety and user-friendliness. Hexagon Ragasco is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hexagon Composites ASA. Learn more at vikingcylinders.com.
About Arbor Day Foundation
Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters, and valued partners. During the last 45 years, more than 300 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty and hunger.
As one of the world's largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees. More information is available at arborday.org.
