September 24, 2009
Starting Oct. 21, San Franciscans will be required to have 3 bins: garbage, recycling ... and compost.
Yes, you read that right. Residents will have to throw their food scraps into the compost bin or face a fine.
Here are four cities that the rest of us could learn from:
- San Francisco: According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the city Department of the Environment is giving out 130 composting bins a day, compared to the 5 or 10 a day a few months ago. The city's requirement is part of its plan to send nothing to landfills by 2020.
- Ft. Collins, Colo.: There are bikes EVERYWHERE. It's amazing. The city even has its own page for bicycling, which includes motorist and bicyclist education and a Safe Routes to School program. Large bike racks are everywhere, and they're all filled. My favorite, though: They have a bike library. And it's free for residents and visitors - all you have to do is fill out a form and provide a credit card.
- Portland, Ore.: Portland regularly ranks No. 1 for their green practices. But here's one more aspect you might not know about: The Urban Growth Boundary was created in the 1970s as a way to limit the development of rural areas outside the city. Essentially, UGB aimed to protect the natural beauty of the state, as well as natural resources, by using land-planning as a way to prevent urban sprawl. So not only is the city protecting land outside the cities, they're also trying to use urban land wisely.
- Austin, Texas: There are lots of great things to say about Austin, but one of the most interesting is that they use curbside yard trimmings and treated sewage sludge to create compost called Dillo Dirt. It can be used on everything - even vegetable gardens. The city also pushes for alternative commuting and encourages cycling. And they offer tax rebates for implementing solar energy in their homes - 40 percent to 60 percent back.
Read more about Supriya Doshi's adventures in eco-friendly living at http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/practically-green/.
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