With transportation being the leading source of carbon emissions and air pollution in our region, our employees are taking action to reduce the number of vehicles on the road by carpooling or vanpooling –not just during National Rideshare Week this week but throughout the year.
In some cases, they are taking carpooling to the next level – by sharing the ride in their electric car with others.
Such is the case of Kevin Sagara, our new chairman and chief CEO, and Estela de Llanos, our chief environmental officer and vice president of operations support & Sustainability. They carpooled together in de Llano’s plug-in hybrid this week and led the charge to encourage more employees to do the same.
About 400 SDG&E employees have made the switch to driving plug-in vehicles, which produce low or no tailpipe emissions. In addition, our company fleet includes more than 140 electric vehicles. Among our electrified fleet are hybrid bucket trucks that our crews use in the field to repair overhead power lines or trim trees. Unlike conventional bucket trucks, the hybrid version is quiet and clean, because it uses battery power to raise the bucket, and heat and cool the truck cabin. That eliminates the need to run the engine to power equipment, cutting tailpipe emissions.
Dedicated Green Team
We have a dedicated green team that promotes sustainability practices and programs beyond transportation to many aspects of our campus facilities and operations, such as landscaping and recycling.
This team collaborates with the iCommute program administered by the San Diego Association of Governments to help more employees use alternative modes of transportation, such as rideshare, biking, walking and taking transit to work. Last week, we were honored with an iCommute Diamond Award – Gold Tier for making strides to advance sustainable commute choices in the workplace.