Spotlight
February 29, 2012One Individual and 20 Organizations Receive Inaugural Climate Leadership Awards
February 16, 2012West Linn Paper Company Achieves Climate Registered Status for 3rd Year
December 8, 2011Event: Understanding the Real Impact of GHG Mitigation Activities Dec. 8, 2011 - 9:45 am Eastern Time
October 19, 20113Degrees Is First Company to Achieve Climate Registered Silver Status
October 17, 2011States and provinces appoint new Executive Director of The Climate Registry
August 13, 2011U.S. EPA and NGOs unveil award criteria and nomination deadline for new Climate Leadership Awards
July 5, 2011Recology, Inc. joins The Climate Registry
June 22, 2011Exelon joins The Climate Registry
June 20, 2011Kodak, US Postal Service and Bentley Prince Street first to be awarded Climate Registered Gold and Platinum
May 17, 2011New national climate awards program
Feburary 9, 2011Registry Member ARCA partners with GE and EPA to lower emissions
January 25, 2011CalSTRS joins The Registry
Please contact us if you have any questions about The Registry.
Gills Onions, LLC
A Founding Member of The Registry, Industry Leader Demonstrates Environmental Initiative
Gills Onions is the nation's largest processor of fresh-cut onions. Headquartered in Oxnard, CA, Gills is a vertically-integrated, family-owned and operated company that handles everything from growing onions to processing and shipping them. With 100,000 square feet of processing and warehouse facilities, Gills peels and cuts up to ½ million pounds of onions per day.
Energy Management
In constant search of the most efficient technologies available, Gills Onions partners with Southern California Edison (SCE), and with SCE's help, they installed energy efficiency projects which saved them over 1.5 million kilowatt hours in 2007 alone. Replacing three natural gas ammonia compressors with three energy efficient electric ammonia compressors, and adding (2) 250 hp energy efficient ammonia compressors to the existing ammonia refrigeration system, Gills was able to increase their facilities' refrigeration capacity by 500 tons. Gills also purchased a new dryer, which is used to keep the moisture out of the air and create a dry environment in order to blow off the onion skins. Installing energy efficiency projects with SCE that saved over one million kilowatt-hours of electricity qualified Gills for the Cool Planet Project, and in July 2008, Gills Onions became a founding member of The Climate Registry.
Taking Action On Climate Change
A forerunner in the fresh produce processing industry, Gills Onions has demonstrated environmental stewardship on several fronts by voluntarily committing to measure, independently verify, and publicly report its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on an annual basis utilizing The Climate Registry General Reporting Protocol. Partnering with The Registry will allow Gills to establish an emissions baseline and then track and reduce their GHG emissions, a value add given the energy saving practices Gills Onions continues to implement.
Since its beginning 25 years ago, one of the Gills family's passions has been to explore new technologies and methods to maximize conservation and efficiency in all areas of its business. From water conservation, green packaging, employee relations, recycling and waste prevention, efficient land usage to community involvement, Gills Onions has always been an environmentally-conscious pioneer in the fresh produce processing industry.
Leading The Way Forward
Pursuing a company-wide environmental consciousness, Gill Onions will continue to lead the way within its industry. One major project currently underway is the construction of an Advanced Energy Recovery System. The system will convert onion waste into reusable energy (up to 50% electrical conversion efficiency) and which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30,000 ton/year CO2 equivalent.
