San Francisco's Top Eco-Friendly Habits

San Francisco is known for being a progressive city. Many social issues have taken root here, and one of those issues today is environmental mindfulness. Year after year, SF gets named as one of the greenest cities in North America. But that isn’t stopping San Francisco from finding new ways of becoming even more environmentally friendly.

Waste management

San Francisco has been leading the way when it comes to waste management for a while now. In 2008, the city introduced the tri-part waste program that is still used today, in which residents have bins for landfill waste, recycling and compost. In accordance with the Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance, residents and businesses are required to properly sort their waste. In addition, there are monetary incentives to use the compost and recycling bins – downsizing the landfill bin results in savings. Currently, San Francisco diverts 80% of its waste away from landfills, and it plans on increasing that number to 100%. Part of the program for 100% waste diversion relies on advocating for products designed with a cradle-to-cradle approach. However, the composting and recycling programs have the potential to help the city reach 90% diversion.

The Fort Mason Community Garden is one of San Francisco’s urban farming plots

Urban agriculture

This rooftop garden supplies produce for the STEM Kitchen Garden restaurant on the medical campus of UCSF

Private sector

The government of San Francisco and the private sector enjoy a symbiotic relationship with regard to environmental concerns, with energy-awareness programs paid for by businesses, low-cost loans for green improvements and company-based promotion of environmentally friendly commuting. Other examples include companies like Home Green Home – cleaning companies that have environmental consciousness built into their core mission. There are also benefit structures designed to encourage more “green thinking” in the private sector. For instance, building projects that will meet LEED Gold or higher are given priority permitting. There is a feed-in tariff program to stimulate investment into renewable energy. The cooperation between the private and public sector in San Francisco enables environmentally friendly projects that might be otherwise impossible.

Alcatraz, the longtime home to Al Capone and “Machine Gun” Kelly, now houses 1,300 photovoltaic panels

Recycled water

Water conservation, while always an important topic, is especially pertinent in California where droughts in combination with the natural climate have created a serious problem. San Francisco has made a number of efforts directed at water conservation. One of the alternative water supplies being developed is recycled water. This is treated wastewater that can be used for irrigation, plumbing, cooling and decorative fountains. Other programs, such as cooking oil recycling, target water pollution reduction. This program converts cooking oil into bio-diesel, which is then used to power the city’s fleet.

Plastics ban

Plastic bags have been banned in San Francisco since 2007, and this measure was expanded in 2012. In 2014, San Francisco banned the sales of plastic bottles on city property. There are some places in the US that have more stringent regulations, which is seen as another step toward reaching the zero waste goal. Banning water bottles will not only reduce waste entering the landfill stream – the average American uses 167 plastic water bottles a year but only recycles 38 – but will also reduce the amount of oil being used, as 17 million barrels of oil are used annually to make water bottles. Additionally, food vendors and restaurants must use compostable or recyclable food containers instead of plastic foam containers.

SCRAP is a recycling center for art materials in San Francisco

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.