Ahead of School Break, Discovery Cube Introduces Fun New Film that Teaches Kids About Renewable Energy

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for the holiday school break, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Discovery Cube are releasing a fun adventure film about renewable energy. The film, created for children but educational for all ages, shows how renewable energy, including renewable natural gas is created and why it's so important.

Energy fuels our lives every day, from recharging our smartphones, to heating our homes and cooking our meals. As California moves to more renewable sources of energy, many people are unaware of how renewable natural gas works. This film takes the viewer along for the journey from energy creation and storage to its end uses, illustrating the science behind energy and its importance to our everyday life.

"Kids will soon be out of school soon for the holidays, and parents may wonder how to keep them engaged and learning," said Kellee Preston, chief operating officer for the Discovery Cube. "Our new energy film is fun, engaging and presents the science of renewable natural gas in a way that is easy to understand."

"The use of renewable energy, including renewable natural gas, is vital to improve the environment and help California reach its climate goals," said Trisha Muse, director of community relations for SoCalGas. "Using our waste streams to create renewable natural gas is one way we can reduce our carbon footprint, and still enjoy the convenience that natural gas provides. We hope this film educates viewers of all ages on the importance of renewable energy and renewable natural gas."

RNG is a renewable fuel produced from food waste, farms, landfills, and even sewer systems. It can rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) because it takes more climate pollution out of the air than it emits as an energy source. RNG is already helping eliminate emissions from trucks and buses. Over the last five years, RNG use as a transportation fuel has increased 577 percent.

SoCalGas is working to build on RNG's success in the transportation sector by making it available to fuel the homes of the company's 21 million customers across Southern California. Earlier this year, SoCalGas' committed to replace 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030 ? part of  as part of a broad, inclusive and integrated plan to help to help achieve California's ambitious climate goals.

Research shows that replacing about 20 percent of California's traditional natural gas supply with RNG would lower emissions equal to retrofitting every building in the state to run on electric only energy and at a fraction of the cost.

To celebrate the film's debut, SoCalGas and Discovery Cube held a screening and reception today at the Discovery Cube center in Santa Ana. Photos from the event are available for viewing here.

About Discovery Science Foundation
The Discovery Science Foundation serves as the educational program-development and fundraising arm for hands-on science learning centers in Orange County, Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. Established in 1989, the Discovery Cube, presented by Taco Bell, continues to inspire and educate millions of young minds through engaging science-based programs and exhibits. In 2012, the Cube was named one of the 10 "Most Trusted Brands" in Orange County and in 2013 was awarded the National Medal of service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services at The White House.

In November 2014, a second nonprofit Discovery Cube offering an exhibit and program mix unique to Los Angeles, opened in the Hansen Dam Recreational Area of the San Fernando Valley. Most recently, Discovery Cube's Ocean Quest opened in Newport Beach as a base of operations for ocean-science education and programs. For more information, visit discoverycube.org. Follow the Los Angeles and Orange County campus on social platforms (@DiscoveryCubeLA, @DiscoveryCubeOC).

About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest natural gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable natural gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Natural gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians? about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants. 

SoCalGas' vision is to be the cleanest natural gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its natural gas system infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its natural gas system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an 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. 

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company