Gas industry disinformation is being challenged by ENGOs

Unceded Coast Salish Territories (VANCOUVER, BC) – Canadian ENGOs are pushing back against the greenwashing efforts with a campaign that exposes gas as a dangerous fossil fuel which is exacerbating the climate crisis. The campaign “Monster Misconceptions of Un-Natural Gas” includes an animation video, informational graphics, and a website which debunks industry misinformation regarding “natural” gas in homes and provides a path towards a clean energy future.

Gas is neither green, clean, nor low-carbon – in spite of how gas companies market their product.

“Gas companies are misrepresenting their products and misleading residents about their home heating options,” said Lana Goldberg, Canadian SAFE Cities campaigner with Stand.earth. “The gas industry is spewing disinformation and using underhanded tactics to prevent communities from implementing important climate policies. We’re calling them out and exposing their lies.”

Municipalities across Canada – in particular in British Columbia and Quebec – have been introducing local policies to rein in community-level emissions by requiring that new buildings use non-emitting heating systems. In response, gas companies and associations have mounted aggressive campaigns to prevent these local climate policies from moving forward.

“Fossil gas companies like to call their gas ‘natural’ to give you the idea that it’s safe – but it’s not,” Ashley Zarbatany of Dogwood said. “It’s fracked methane, and it’s accelerating the climate crisis. Fossil gas companies need to be held responsible for spreading toxic misinformation that puts our communities at risk.”

Earlier this year the federal government introduced greenwashing legislation (Bill C-59) that aims to stop fossil fuel companies from misrepresenting their products. The use of gas in buildings is highly polluting, accounting for 13 percent of Canada’s total pollution. Meanwhile, electric heat pumps have been advancing and are now a proven clean technology to heat and cool buildings.

“Imagine if homeowners and renters across the country were able to heat and cool their homes with clean energy that’s better for our health, safety, and climate,” said Sunil Singal, Canadian SAFE cities campaigner with Stand.earth. “Electric heat pump usage in Canada is growing and is the perfect solution to lower our emissions and energy bills. We need to see more of the kind of the local leadership we’ve seen in Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia where communities are planning to construct new buildings with much more efficient electric heating and cooling systems instead of old and inefficient technologies like gas furnaces.”

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See the video here.

Contact:

Arin de Hoog, Canada Communications Specialist – Stand.earth. +1 613-978-7329
arin.dehoog@stand.earth (ET)