Earth Day Starts at Home

Set an example.

It is something I say (perhaps too often) to my oldest son, knowing that his little brother acts as his shadow, mimicking his every move. 

His reaction varies; sometimes it is well-received, while others have led to a few more gray hairs than I’d prefer.

As we dove into a similar conversation last week, I knew Earth Day was fast approaching. It was a great opportunity to show both kids that how we act and what we do matters today — and for the future.

So, what could my husband and I do to practice what we preach and make Earth Day activities fun?

Both boys are naturally helpful and love being outside. So, after a family meeting, we agreed on a few simple things we could do to make an impact this Earth Day:

• Pick up trash at our neighborhood park

• Plant a fruit tree in our backyard

• Ride our bikes for (certain) errands instead of driving our car

• Reduce water use (brushing teeth, bathing/showering, dishwashing)

• Save energy at home (turn off lights when we leave a room, adjust thermostat, avoid peak hours when using energy, unplug devices when not in use)

Saving energy has been a goal for many PG&E customers over the last year too. In 2024, customers saved more than 267 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity and 7.4 million therms of natural gas through PG&E’s Residential Behavioral program. That is enough to power nearly 30,000 homes for one year! 

Another way to help Mother Earth is by driving electric. In California, more than 40% of all emissions come from the transportation sector. 

PG&E also has more than 677,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in its service area, representing one in eight EVs in the country. There are many programs and resources to help customers on their clean transportation journey. 

A great place to start is PG&E’s EV Savings Calculator, which estimates and compares EV rate plans, identifies savings and charging stations, and helps you explore EV incentives. 

According to recent data, California EV sales climbed for the fourth straight year in 2024, representing approximately 25% of all new vehicles sold in the state last year.

Since launching the Pre-Owned Electric Vehicle Rebate Program in February 2023, more than 12,500 rebate payments have been issued with over $28 million in benefits. An additional $50 million in funding is still available to help customers transition to an EV. 

There are also many benefits of an all-electric home. PG&E helps connect customers with tools and resources so they can switch homes from fossil fuel-burning equipment to efficient electric alternatives. 

Your home does not need to be all-electric to qualify for PG&E’s Electric Home Rate Plan (E-ELEC). If you have an electric vehicle (EV), battery storage, or an electric heat pump for water heating or climate control and are a large electricity user who can shift usage to lower priced times of day, this rate plan may save you money. 

Regardless of how big or small the action may be for Earth Day; I encourage others to set an example. I hope it empowers my kids to make a difference, so they can build a future they can be proud of — and one they will want to protect.

About the author

Adrienne Moore joined PG&E’s Marketing and Communications team in 2023. A busy mom of two boys, she is passionate about helping customers save energy and money, sharing energy efficiency tips and tools, and making bill support programs easy to understand and accessible for all. Her goal is to ensure customers feel supported when managing their energy needs.