Protecting & Preserving the Environment
Learn about our efforts to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean natural gas and innovation.
As the nation’s largest natural gas utility, we are well aware of our responsibility to implement sustainable practices and remain a sound environmental steward. And, we gladly embrace this role.
We are proud to serve a region that places a high priority on environmental issues, with a wide array of organizations dedicated to important causes, such as urban greening, beach cleanups and clean air initiatives.
Among our activities in 2018:
Earth Month 2018
For the month of April, Community Relations gave employees the opportunity to get involved at various locations, with more than 230 participants at six cleanup sites:
- Bolsa Chica Conservancy
- Keep Riverside Clean
- Greater Bakersfield Green Expo
- Fairview Gardens
- Friends of Ballona Wetlands
- Ventura Hillside Conservancy.
Environmental Champions Initiative:
For the fourth consecutive year, we sponsored an Environmental Champions Initiative that solicited grant proposals for innovative projects in the areas of clean air, clean energy and clean water. We awarded 32 grants totaling nearly $400,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 - $25,000. Some projects of particular interest include:
- Climate Resolve – #keepLAcool is a series of public events in the northeast San Fernando Valley showcasing cooling strategies for mitigating and adapting to climate change impacts.
- Energy Independence Now – geared to engage legislative leaders, their senior staff and senior policymaking officials to better understand the transformative health, economic and environmental benefits of hydrogen-electric vehicles and renewable/carbon-free hydrogen, including the opportunities to store renewable energy via hydrogen injection into existing natural gas pipelines.
- San Bernardino Valley College Foundation: second time recipients, providing training in electric and hybrid engines in both heavy-duty and automotive environments. Funds will be used to purchase training modules and tools needed to accommodate demand for a second lab section.
- Global Green, USA: addresses the barriers to clean energy, such as biogas generation in underserved communities, by enhancing community capacity for food waste diversion through “Eco-Champion” training workshops in 1-2 cities and by modeling scenarios for biogas generation in 1-2 early-adopter cities.
Other organizations we support:
- CicLAvia: SoCalGas proudly sponsored three CicLAvia events in 2018, including: Heart of the Foothills (San Dimas), The Valley (Pacoima) and Celebrate LA! LA Phil 100 (Downtown Los Angeles – Hollywood). CicLAvia connects communities to each other across an expansive city, creating a safe place to bike, walk, skate, roll and dance through Los Angeles. As a proud sponsor of the event, SoCalGas shared information about how natural gas can help clean the air through clean, compressed natural gas (CNGs) for buses, fleets and trucks.
- Clean Air Day: SoCalGas joined forces with Coalition for Clean Air to bring the first Clean Air Day to fruition on October 3rd. SoCalGas had the most employees – out of the 160 businesses that participated – to take the pledge. Additionally, SoCalGas pledged to reduce its yearly use of air conditioning at all 60 work locations on an ongoing basis, which reduces their overall electricity usage by more than 86,000 kWh per year – the equivalent of more than 157,000 miles driven by an average passenger car.
- VerdeXchange: SoCalGas participated on three panels discussing natural gas, hydrogen and near-zero heavy duty vehicles. Significant exposure was received at the conference and through traditional and social media.