BROOKFIELD, Wis. — CheckFree, now part of Fiserv Inc., a provider of information technology services to the financial industry, and Fifth Third Bank, a $111 billion diversified financial services company, today announced a campaign promoting the environmental benefits of online bill payment.
Between April 21 and June 30, 2008, Fifth Third Bank and Fiserv will donate a tree on behalf of targeted customers who pay five or more bills online. To promote the campaign, select customers will receive direct mailers that use eco-friendly recycled paper embedded with wildflower seeds, and ready for planting. With assistance from the Arbor Day Foundation, Fifth Third and Fiserv hope to plant more than 10,000 trees as part of the campaign.
According to a 2007 green banking study by Javelin Strategy and Research, if all U.S. households viewed and paid bills online it would save 16.5 million trees each year. A single tree in one day can provide oxygen for up to four people and discharge up to 100 gallons of water from the ground into the air, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"More consumers are realizing that online bill payment is not only convenient, but it also contributes to a healthier environment," said Karen Dee, senior vice president and head of retail for Fifth Third Bank. "This campaign is a great way to raise our customers' awareness of the green advantages of paying bills online, while at the same time having a direct ecological impact."
Customers can register for Fifth Third's online bill payment at www.53.com, or at any of its 1,230 banking centers. Consumers can start paying bills right away and it's free to get started. In addition to the environmental benefits, paying bills online rather than sending paper bills through the mail provides consumers with a fast, easy and more secure alternative to controlling their finances.
"We recently sponsored a survey in which more than half of American consumers responded that it was very important to them that receiving and paying bills online benefits the environment," said Todd Lesher, executive vice president and general manager, CheckFree Electronic Banking Services, now part of Fiserv. "CheckFree is committed to working with our banking partners like Fifth Third to further educate the public about the positive impact that online banking and bill payment can have on the environment."
Fiserv, Inc. and CheckFree are committed to educating consumers and businesses through the PayItGreen campaign about the environmental benefits of choosing electronic billing, statements and payments instead of paper. Learn more at www.payitgreen.org.
