Composting in San Francisco:

We’re hearing a lot in the media about becoming more environmentally aware and more ecologically responsible as the planet faces serious threats. Yet, for all of the discussion, it seems we still make individual decisions regarding our own part in saving the planet. That said, if we turn to San Francisco, we will find that one city, under the direction of one man, Mayor Gavin Newsom, is truly on the cutting edge of taking collective action to preserve our environment.

While there are many ways that San Francisco raises the bar in terms of environmental protection, an excellent example of this is their “3-Cart Curbside Recycling Program.” The city’s innovative waste management program seeks to divert up to 75% of the city’s waste by 2010. Sounds ambitious? They pledge to eliminate waste entirely by the year 2020! While this may sound a bit like a pipe-dream to some, consider that in 2008 the city is already diverting 70% of its waste through the model 3-Cart system.

The concept is simple: recycle everything, compost everything that can be composted, and trash what little is left. The city provides blue carts for recyclables, and encourages residents to recycle everything glass, paper, and plastic. All of it is carted down to the bay where city employees hand sort the recyclables. While this level of citywide recycling happens in many cities across the nation, San Francisco’s composting program is genuinely one of a kind in the US.

The city provides green carts for all residents and businesses, which are filled with food scraps, food soiled paper products, and lawn trimmings. Generally meat products and paper products are excluded from traditionally composting programs; San Francisco takes it all. The city daily produces 300 tons of biodegradable waste which is then turned to rich soil and sold to local farms and area vineyards.

Finally, there are the little black carts for trash. And I use the term “little” because that is what most people opt for. The city provides all three carts/bins in multiple sizes, but folks who opt for smaller black carts are financially rewarded. Recycling and composting is free, whereas trash pickup in large bins has a fee attached. Guess what’s happening in San Francisco? People are using the little black trash cans that take less trash, and they are recycling and composting the majority of their waste.
The efficiency of San Francisco’s aggressive program of waste diversion is garnishing national attention. San Francisco’s innovative program is becoming a model for other cities and towns. While we might not have composting pick up in the next year or two, it’s certainly a plausible prospect in the coming decade.

That said, you don’t need to wait for your city to give recycling and composting a shot. If you’re not recycling already, find a center in your town. Try composting food scraps and yard trimmings. You can find compost bins easily, and learning how to compost yourself is just a matter of a bit of reading. If the entire city of San Francisco can do it, we all can!