AAA Washington Invites Western Washington to Turn “Batteries to Branches” this Summer

AAA Washington – a local leader in Automotive Services, Insurance and Travel with 1.2. million members – today announces details of its “Batteries to Branches” campaign. The new campaign is in partnership with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, a local non-profit committed to preserving and enhancing Washington’s natural landscapes. Beginning this May through summer, AAA Washington will host five “Batteries to Branches” events at its stores, inviting members and the broader community to bring in old car batteries from gas-powered cars to be recycled. For every recycled car battery, a tree will be donated to the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust’s restoration efforts along the I-90 corridor.  

“AAA Washington is committed to supporting healthy, sustainable communities,” said Laura Ray, vice president of corporate affairs and environmental, social and governance with AAA Washington. “Our ‘Batteries to Branches’ campaign keeps car batteries out of the landfill while supporting the work of the Trust, a longtime AAA Washington partner with whom we have planted more than 6,000 trees.” 

It is estimated that one million car batteries across the U.S. are left unrecycled annually, posing environmental risks as well as health, safety and fire hazards. In 2023, the AAA Washington recycled more than 23,000 car batteries, keeping lead, acid and plastic out of landfills and/or being released into water sources while helping transform materials into new products.  

At each “Batteries to Branches” event, AAA Washington automotive technicians will be on-site to provide free battery testing, replacement and recycling services. For every car battery collected and recycled, AAA Washington will donate a tree to be planted by the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust.  

A list of Batteries to Branches events across Western Washington AAA stores include: 

• AAA Alderwood Cruise & Travel: Wednesday, May 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
• AAA Tacoma Cruise & Travel: Tuesday, June 11, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
• AAA Bremerton Cruise & Travel: Wednesday, July 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
• AAA Mt. Vernon Cruise & Travel: Wednesday, August 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
• AAA Vancouver Cruise & Travel: Tuesday, September 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

“This partnership with AAA Washington represents our shared dedication to creating a more sustainable future for Washingtonians,” said Jon Hoekstra, executive director of Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. “By responsibly recycling car batteries and planting trees, we are not only preventing harmful materials from reaching our landfills but also actively restoring and revitalizing Washington’s natural landscapes.”