PayByPhone Launches Award-Winning Tree-Planting Initiative - Meters for Trees

PayByPhone, a global leader in mobile parking payments, launches its multi-award-winning Meters for Trees tree-planting initiative in North America. First introduced in the UK in 2019, Meters for Trees offers an innovative and straightforward way to promote mobile parking payments while making a meaningful environmental impact by planting trees.

Carmen Donnell, Managing Director North America for PayByPhone, says, “Meters for Trees is a revolutionary initiative that promotes positive and sustainable change, which is perfect to launch ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Forests and World Planting Day 2025, which takes place on March 21. Thanks to the removal or decommissioning of meters or pay stations, cities, universities, and parking operators can leave a sustainable green legacy for future generations, while at the same time contribute to cleaner air today for local communities and save costs for their operation simply by promoting mobile parking payments.”

Meters for Trees is part of PayByPhone’s broader environmental campaigns, including Green December. Over the past five years, these campaigns have collectively planted over 225,000 trees globally.

Under the terms of Meters for Trees, PayByPhone will plant one verified tree on its client’s behalf for every multi-space meter, and one tree for every 10 single-space parking meters in a client’s operation that are removed. Trees will be planted through PayByPhone’s partner, veritree, a data-driven, restorative platform that connects nature-based solutions with mission-driven companies ready to lead the restorative economy.

By switching to mobile parking payments, cities, universities and parking operators help improve air quality by eliminating the need for collection and maintenance vehicles, which would otherwise be on the roads collecting cash from parking meters and pay stations, repairing and replacing parts, emitting harmful tailpipe gasses. Greenhouse gases, like CO2, and vehicles, in particular diesel vehicles, which emit particulate matter such as soot and NOx, negatively impact air quality and may exacerbate many respiratory illnesses. Each tree planted through Meters for Trees absorbs CO₂, directly benefitting the local environment by sequestering greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

Meters for Trees has been recognized for its environmental efforts, winning 12 international awards to date, including a Global Gold Award at the 2019 Green World Environment Awards in the Carbon Reduction and Local Authorities categories, the Green Champion Award in Carbon Reduction at the 2019 Green Apple Environment Awards, and the Environmental Initiative Award at the 2020 SEAL Business Sustainability Awards.

“Implementation of Meters for Trees is uncomplicated, quick and inexpensive. By removing payment hardware in favor of digital parking payments, clients not only eliminate the need for expensive EMV readers but also streamline operations and reduce maintenance costs. At the same time, they can make an immediate impact through supporting reforestation efforts. Best of all, they can make the switch at their own pace, ensuring a seamless transition that fits their needs,” adds Donnell.

Oswaldo Tosado, Deputy Director of Allentown Parking Authority, in Pennsylvania, one of the first cities to have implemented Meters for Trees, says, “Partnering with PayByPhone on Meters for Trees is an exciting step toward sustainability. It allows us to drive greater adoption of mobile parking solutions while actively contributing to environmental conservation.”

Monica Beltran, Parking Mobility and Sustainability Director City of Coral Gables, says, “Joining PayByPhone’s Meters for Trees is a meaningful way for our city to reinforce what truly sets Coral Gables apart—our lush tree canopy. As a Tree City USA for 40 years and counting, we take immense pride in preserving and enhancing our urban forest.”

Chelsea Baker van Drood, Parking Services Program Specialist, City of Olympia, Washington, who signed up to Meters for Trees in 2025, says, “We’re excited to partner with PayByPhone on Meters for Trees as part of our commitment to combating climate change and deforestation. This initiative offers an innovative and easy way to promote mobile parking payments while planting trees and making a meaningful environmental impact.”

For more information about Meters for Trees, please visit www.paybyphone.com/meters-for-trees

About PayByPhone 

PayByPhone’s aim is simple: simplify your journey so you can focus on what matters most. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Financial Services AG, it is one of the fastest-growing mobile payments companies in the world, processing more than $550 million in payments and over 5 million downloads per year. Available in more than 1,200 cities across the globe, PayByPhone helps millions of consumers easily and safely pay for parking without the hassles of coins, lines, or fines. Its smart, intuitive technology is at the center of its user-first approach, delivered to make everything as simple as possible. For more information, please visit www.paybyphone.com.

About veritree 

veritree is a data-driven, restorative platform that connects nature-based solutions with mission-driven companies ready to lead the restorative economy. With on-the-ground monitoring and blockchain verification, veritree improves transparency and trust through data and tools that revitalize ecosystems, strengthen communities, and build climate solutions.

veritree scales consumer-centric programs between planting organizations and corporations around the world. veritree's mission is to restore the planet—planting and verifying one billion trees within the decade. For more information, visit veritree.com.