LOS ANGELES, May 26, 2018 — Seventy volunteers from Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), City Plants, the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, and the Los Angeles Conservation Corps today joined Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez to plant 35 new trees at Sylmar Recreation Center in the San Fernando Valley. SoCalGas has provided $24,000 to pay for the full cost of the trees, including planting and two summers of watering and establishment maintenance. Residents who attended also received free trees to take home and plant on their properties. Photos of the planting are available here.

“SoCalGas is committed to helping create a greener and healthier Los Angeles,” said Andy Carrasco, director of regional public affairs at SoCalGas. “Planting trees in our local communities can make a big impact; not only are they beautiful, but they can also help clean our air, improve our health, and provide cooling shade in our neighborhoods.”    

"City Plants is committed to growing a greener future for Los Angeles by planting and caring for trees,” said Elizabeth Skrzat, executive director of City Plants. “Growing a green canopy to shade our parks is so important, particularly in hot areas like the San Fernando Valley; trees act like living air conditioners, so that people can find refuge on even the hottest of days.”

"Trees not only beautify our neighborhoods, but also help improve our health and cool our warm San Fernando Valley temperatures," said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. "We all can play a role to help rebuild the City's urban canopy and green our neighborhoods."

“The environmental longevity and livelihood of a community is measured through the state of trees and the green spaces that surround them,” said Mike Shull, general manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks. “The Department of Recreation and Parks is committed to the sustainability of the City through planting and caring for trees that positively contribute to everyone’s quality of life.”

SoCalGas is a leader in supporting clean air initiatives and reducing emissions linked to climate change. Through the research and development of new technologies that improve energy efficiency, as well as rebate programs, the company has reduced emissions equal to taking almost 700,000 cars off the road since 1990. These advances have also helped save its customers more than $670 million in utility bill costs.

SoCalGas is also working with fleet owners to get more clean natural gas trucks on the road through funding programs like the Prop 1B Goods Movement Emissions Reduction program and the Carl Moyer Grant program. Today, more than 60 percent of all natural gas engines in California are fueled by renewable gas delivered by the company’s pipelines.

The transportation sector in accounts for more than 80 percent of smog forming emissions in California. The latest generation of natural gas engines can reduce those emissions by more than 90 percent, and when fueled with renewable gas, they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent or more.

SoCalGas is committed to giving back to the communities that it serves. In 2017, it invested more than $10 million in nearly 1,000 educational, environmental, and community organizations across its service territory. Learn more about the company’s giving here.   

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest natural gas distribution utility in the United States, providing clean, safe, affordable and reliable natural gas service to 21.7 million customers in Central and Southern California. Its service territory spans 22,000 square miles from Fresno to the Mexican border, reaching more than 550 communities through 5.9 million meters and 101,000 miles of pipeline. More than 90 percent of Southern California single-family home residents use natural gas for home heat and hot water. In addition, natural gas plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians—about 60 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.  

SoCalGas has served communities in California for 150 years and is committed to being a leader in the region’s clean energy future. The company is working to accelerate the use of renewable natural gas, a carbon-neutral or carbon-negative fuel created by capturing and conditioning greenhouse gas emissions from farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook. 

About City Plants

City Plants is a non-profit organization partnering with the City of Los Angeles to grow a green and sustainable future for L.A. Through a host of partnerships with City departments and non-profit organizations, City Plants distributes and plants approximately 20,000 trees a year. Our priority is to plant trees where they are most needed and our collective vision is that every neighborhood of L.A. will have equal access to trees and their benefits. Learn more at cityplants.org.

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