Our Commitment to Sustainability
Facilities and Daily Operations
Do Your Part for the Environment
Our Commitment to Sustainability
At Southern California Gas (SoCalGas®) protecting the environment is part of our culture. Read our Environmental Excellence Policy to learn more about our sustainability commitment.
Additionally, SoCalGas and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E®) have teamed together in an effort to protect precious environmental resources. View the SDG&E and SoCalGas: Grounded in Sustainability presentation prepared for the California Public Utilities Commission.
Facilities and Daily Operations
Green Team
In 2010, SoCalGas created the Green Team, a volunteer group of employees from diverse departments to foster environmental efforts. The Green Team’s mission is advancing the company’s green culture and environmental sustainability through communicating, educating and inspiring conservation, energy efficiency, recycling and waste reduction at the workplace and at home.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Last year, SoCalGas recycled nearly 4,500 tons of scrap metal, meters, cardboard, plastic and paper. We also reduced our use of metal by rebuilding thousands of gas meters and redeploying them back into service. We saved thousands of trees by using recycled paper to print our customers' billing statements, envelopes and brochures. Whenever possible, SoCalGas redeploys laptops and desktop computers within the company. Computers that are not redeployed are sold to electronic recyclers, which keeps them from going to landfills. We have also greatly reduced our inventory of printers, copiers and fax machines.
Build and Maintain Energy-Efficient Facilities
We take steps daily to protect the environment in our facilities and operations and in how we plan and construct new facilities.
Our efforts to renovate our operational facilities in the most energy-efficient and environmentally responsible ways have earned us Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ("LEED") Certification for seven of our facilities.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000, LEED is the most recognizable and widely used green building program across the globe. LEED is a certification program that guides the design, construction, operations and maintenance for buildings, homes and communities.
The SoCalGas Energy Resource Center (ERC) is an energy-efficiency partner for energy and environmental decision-makers. The building is an award-winning model of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly technologies. The ERC provides an array of practical seminars, demonstrations and consulting services that can help businesses find the most cost-effective and energy-efficient solutions to their energy needs.
You can take steps to build green in your home or business and enjoy the benefits of energy and financial savings, resource conservation, waste reduction and a healthier environment. View our Green Resources and Energy Efficiency Programs to get started.
Reducing Our Electricity Use
At SoCalGas, we voluntarily set a goal to reduce electricity usage by 20% by the year 2015. Through employee efforts and company-wide initiatives, we exceeded this goal by reducing electricity usage by 23% in 2011.
As a continuing effort, our energy conservation program:
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
- Advances new technologies in energy-efficiency and emerging, renewable energy
- Lowers estimated electricity consumption at company facilities through comprehensive energy efficiency retrofits and by incorporating energy efficient measures into new construction
Greening Our Fleet
Supporting California's goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, SoCalGas has committed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our fleet by approximately 15% by the end of 2012. Compared with 2005 levels, this is the same as removing about 1,600 gasoline-fueled passenger sedans from the road.
To reach this goal, we're replacing our passenger vehicles with hybrid-electric and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. We're also implementing a fleet-optimization program to improve fuel efficiency and driving habits.
Our fleet already includes nearly 1,119 alternative-fuel vehicles. And we're considering the use of other clean-fuel alternatives, such as biogas. Additionally, SoCalGas will provide employees with eco-driving training to learn how to maximize fuel efficiency, both on and off the job.
Do Your Part for the Environment
Conserving energy not only helps the environment, it can save you money. There are many ways you can help protect the environment:
