PG&E announced Tuesday that it has partnered with Recology, a San Francisco-based recycling company, to help curb methane gas emissions at a Recology-owned landfill.

The project is part of a non-profit PG&E program called ClimateSmart, which focuses on reducing gas emissions around California.

"We have a responsibility to our customers to help neutralize their impact on the environment and limit their carbon footprint," said PG&E spokesperson Katie Romans.

Since its launch in June 2007, the program has grown to encompass thousands of customers, said Romans.

"Over 30,000 people are involved in the program including residential, business and municipal customers," she said.

Romans said 457 residences and 10 businesses in Berkeley have also started participating in the program.

Cary Mosier, office manager of Cafe Gratitude, a chain of organic food restaurants with a location in Berkeley, said the cafe began participating in the program two weeks ago.

"It costs us a little more but mostly we're just committed to being a business that is responsible for our impact on the planet and PG&E is helping us do that," Mosier said.

Romans said the program works through donations from customers who choose to participate.

"The amount of money needed to offset the greenhouse gas emissions that are associated with your energy use is then added to your monthly energy bill," she said. "One-hundred percent of that money goes toward those greenhouse gas emission reduction projects."

Romans said the addition of the Recology Hay Road Landfill has added to the success of the program.

"Our latest partnership in Vacaville took us over the 1 million ton mark of greenhouse gas emission reductions," she said.

Romans said in addition to the landfill, other sites such as forests, creeks and a dairy are making use of ClimateSmart to reduce their emissions.

Tags: PG&E, CAFE GRATITUDE