Environmental GRI Performance Indicators
EN29 – Significant environmental impacts of transporting products and other goods and materials used for the organization’s operations, and transporting members of the workforce.
Promoting Markets for Cleaner Vehicles
Enbridge Gas Distribution (EGD) has been building and supporting the natural gas vehicle (NGV) market in Ontario for over 20 years.
In addition to encouraging others to use natural gas as a cost-effective, lower-impact transportation fuel, EGD has the largest natural gas vehicle fleet in Canada, with over 630 of Enbridge’s 825 vehicles running on the low-emission fuel. By converting these vehicles to natural gas, Enbridge, in 2007, benefited from $916,000 in cost savings across the whole fleet ($1,447 per NGV per year) and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 680 tonnes.
EGD also operates six natural gas van pools for its employees commuting to and from work in the Toronto area. With a full complement of eight passengers and a driver, each vanpool takes the equivalent of 5,500 person kilometres per day off Toronto roads and prevents the release of about 262 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Employees benefit by reducing their vehicle fuel and maintenance costs, lowering stress, having preferred parking at the Enbridge office, and having pride in knowing that they are doing their part for the environment and traffic congestion.
Through the use of NGVs, EGD reduced its overall environmental footprint for vehicle emissions in 2007 by 942 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
In June 2008, our natural gas vehicle fleet became the first commercial fleet in Canada to receive an ‘E3 Fleet’ Gold rating for excellence in fleet management. Launched in 2006 by the Fraser Basin Council, E3 Fleet is an innovative Canada-wide program that assists public and private sector fleet vehicles in meeting green standards for performance.
Enbridge provides the public with natural gas to power vehicles. Customers can fill their vehicles at retail and private stations. Natural gas is also used to power ice-flooding machines for skating arenas and fork lifts for factories to improve indoor air quality and provide fuel cost savings. In total, Enbridge distributed 12.5 million litres (gasoline equivalent) of natural gas for customers’ vehicles in 2007. This amounts to a reduction of 6,900 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions by our customers.
Enbridge plans to remain a leader in advocating the use of natural gas-powered vehicles as an economical solution to the impacts of vehicle emissions on urban air quality. We will continue to work with stakeholders through the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance and with all levels of government to develop and implement a longer-term national strategy for alternative fuels that should lead to a sustainable NGV industry.
Encouraging Alternate Transportation Options for Employees
Every June, Enbridge Gas Distribution participates in Pollution Probe’s Clean Air Commute program, a week of friendly competition in which employees can win prizes for commuting to work in an environmentally friendly manner.
In 2007, for the second year in a row EGD won the friendly “Commuter Cup Challenge” between EGD, Toronto Hydro, Ontario Power Generation and Direct Energy, as well as winning first place in the Greater Toronto Area-wide category of companies with over 1,000 employees. During the Challenge, EGD’s Executive Management Team group achieved the highest departmental participation with a 74-per-cent participation rate. EGD employees avoided emitting about 14 tonnes of carbon dioxide from this one week of activity, demonstrating the power that each individual has to help reduce emissions.
We are also supporting and encouraging more sustainable ways for employees to get to work, such as “vanpooling”, carpooling, active commuting (walking or cycling) and tele-working. With these initiatives, we are looking for multiple benefits – not only to lower vehicle emissions and help contribute toward cleaner air, but also to help our employees lower stress levels, increase healthy physical activity, reduce personal vehicle costs, and promote higher morale and personal engagement within our organization.
At the U.S. headquarters for our Gas Transportation business in Houston, we encourage employees to commute using public transportation by covering the cost of their transit fees. As a result of this program, our Houston office has been designated as one of Houston’s Best Workplaces for Commuters, an innovative program managed by the Center for Urban Transportation Research that provides national recognition to qualified employers for offering outstanding commuter benefits. The elite designation recognizes Enbridge as a Houston-area employer that is committed to reducing traffic and air pollution and improving the quality of life for commuters by providing alternatives to drive-alone commuting.