Celebrating Earth Month with Leanne Hoadley

"Our planet is so beautiful, but it's clearly in trouble. We are all responsible for our personal impact on the earth's plants, animals, insects, and protecting the air we breathe and water we rely on.”

- Leanne Hoadley 

Division: Energy Division
CPUC headquarters: San Francisco
Tenure: 3 years

CPUC role: I’m a Supervisor in the Energy Efficiency Branch of the Energy Division. 

How does your work at the CPUC help support a healthy future for the planet? 
One of the responsibilities of my section is to oversee compliance and evaluate cost-effectiveness of our public purpose energy efficiency programs. These programs help enable and encourage California's businesses to upgrade their facilities with energy efficient options by providing incentives that lower their capital costs. This helps them lower their monthly energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while they lower their reliance on natural gas equipment and run more efficient electric equipment. 

What do you wish more people knew about the CPUC’s work to protect the planet and Californians? 
We are all in this together. At the CPUC, we are dedicated to ensuring safe, reliable, and affordable utility service, while also protecting the air we breathe and the delicate ecosystem we live in. As CPUC staff, we have the privilege and responsibility of supporting our Commissioners with deeply researched analysis and data as they manage very complex and challenging decisions.   

What is one action you take outside of work to support a healthy planet?
A couple of years ago, we switched to an electric heat pump water heater to reduce our reliance on natural gas. It was a great learning experience, but we got taken advantage of by our first contractor! They didn't follow the proper order when starting our meter and panel upgrade, which added significant costs. We live in a 1908-built home, so an electrical upgrade was needed. The contractor didn’t follow the proper protocols when working with PG&E. Because of this, we were left with an 11 foot by 3 foot trench along the side of our house and a one-story high pile of dirt against the house for 10 months.  

What I should have done from the beginning was contact my local Regional Energy Network, which for us is BayREN, to find a contractor. There’s more to the saga of this story, but I’m glad to have a better understanding of how to help others navigate through the process. I’m extremely happy with my heat pump water heater.

Why are you passionate about protecting the environment and living sustainably?
Our planet is so beautiful, but it’s clearly in trouble. We are all responsible for our personal impact on the earth’s plants, animals, insects, and protecting the air we breathe and water we rely on. I worry every day about the devastating impact of fossil fuels on this planet. During my daily run, I’m constantly picking up plastic, Styrofoam, and batteries. It’s a daily thing I can do to feel less helpless.

Leanne enjoying a beautiful flowering tree.

From your perspective, what are some small actionable steps people can take to reduce their carbon footprint?
There are so many simple things we can do, whether that means using an electric water kettle, driving less (if you don’t have an EV), upgrading an appliance to electric, and becoming more thoughtful about how much plastic we use and how we discard it. People can take small steps like ordering less online (yes, I know it’s easy to just hit the “pay” button), or even simply giving to nonprofits. 
For the sake of the Earth, we can all take a little more responsibility for our impact. Personally, it feels good when I know I’ve made even a little effort. 

By Andrea Marvin, Public Information Officer