Environment

At Union Gas, we're dedicated to promoting a conservation culture in Ontario, in our own operations and by encouraging our customers and business allies to incorporate conservation activities in their businesses and lives.

We care about the environment, and this is reflected in our company culture, whether we are building a pipeline, constructing a new energy-efficient office building, designing energy-conservation programs for customers or supporting important ecological programs in the communities where we live and work.    Steve Baker, President of Union Gas

Environmental Responsibility in our Workplaces

Union Gas has dozens of internal initiatives that focus on green or environmental issues in our workplaces, such as:

• Union Gas employees are actively engaged in environment-friendly initiatives through participation in Green Teams at seven of the company's offices across Ontario. Green Team projects implemented based on employee suggestions include the installation of organic waste bins and the elimination of styrofoam takeout containers, a spent battery collection, preferred parking for car-pool and hybrid vehicles, and the construction of a 3,000 square foot community garden.
• The company has introducing conservation measures in 60 company buildings across Ontario including a retrofit of existing lighting which has reduced the associated electricity consumption by up to 58 per cent, installation of water saving devices that use to 40 per cent less water, an anti-idling program for company vehicles and an automated system that places all personal computers on low-power mode after business hours.
• On the waste management side, the company has reduced office paper use by over 10 per cent through the use of two-sided printing and advocating the use of paperless alternatives.
• Union Gas has four new offices that have achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED^®) Gold certification, and a fifth office that has been renovated to (LEED^®EB) standards, for existing buildings.  Each building has a distinct design and showcase different types of innovative technologies.
• On the construction end of the business, whenever the company builds a pipeline it makes every effort to avoid disrupting or removing trees. If a tree is removed or damaged, Union Gas works closely with the local conservation authority or the landowner depending on the circumstance, to replant two trees for every tree removed.

Helping our Customers Conserve Energy

Union Gas determined more than a decade ago to take a lead role in helping customers manage energy responsibly.

Since 1997, Union Gas conservation programs, directed to residential, commercial and industrial customers, have raised awareness that there are both environmental and economic benefits to using energy efficiently. The natural gas savings alone amount to approximately 8.75 billion cubic meters of natural gas and reduced CO2 emissions by the equivalent of taking 2.9 million cars off Ontario's roads for a year.

Learn more about the energy conservation programs offered by Union Gas to our customers.

Supporting Environmental Programs in Your Community

Throughout the year, Union Gas employees work to enrich the quality of life in their communities through the company's Helping Hands in Action program.  Our employees, retirees and their families and friends contribute their "sweat equity" to projects that improve, renovate or add tangible value to our communities.  These activities have included:

• Local park clean-ups
• Seed collection events
• Tree plantings at community parks and conservation areas
• River Clean-ups
• Community Gardens

Last year, almost sixty percent of the over 300 volunteer projects undertaken by employees had an environmental focus. Further, the company provides funding for important ecological programs in the communities it serves.