"More than 95 percent of the gas the utility delivers to customers is derived from fossil fuels."
"In 2019, Southern California Gas Company painted a rosy picture of the natural gas it was selling to its customers. On its website, in online ads, and on giveaway swag like hats and T-shirts, the utility described natural gas as “affordable, clean, and renewable.”
Now, SoCalGas will likely pay tens of thousands of dollars in penalties over those claims, according to a settlement agreement announced this week by California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
“SoCalGas should have known better than to broadcast unqualified claims suggesting that all natural gas is ‘renewable,’” Bonta said in a statement.
Most natural gas — including the vast majority of the gas that SoCalGas sells to its customers — is a type of fossil fuel composed primarily of methane. Burning it releases planet-warming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A similar fuel called biomethane, which can be harnessed from landfills and agricultural operations, is generally considered to be renewable, although some sources of biomethane present environmental justice concerns."
Joseph Winters reports for Grist August 16, 2023.
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"Oil Companies Are Hiring Tiktok Influencers To Court Young People" (Washington Post)
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