CityStories / City Profiles / Large Cities / San Francisco, California
July 2010 Update: San Francisco has been named a 2010 Smarter City for Energy. Read the article.
San Francisco has long been an incubator for progressive movements, and its vanguard efforts—which stretch back to the 1892 foundation of the Sierra Club—have made it a green leader in the U.S. Its eco-friendly status is only enhanced by the fact that unlike many cities in California, it has remained compact, with one of the densest populations in the country inhabiting its tiny peninsula.
Aggressive in its pursuit of solar, tidal and wave power, the city is creating a local carbon offset fund to which city employees must contribute 13 percent of air travel costs to offset their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Mayor Gavin Newsom has pledged to outstrip the Kyoto Protocol by committing San Francisco to a 20 percent reduction of 1990-level emissions by 2012.
Since the 1960s, the local food movement has also boomed there, with famed organic restaurants drawing from the riches that surround the city. Farm production in this foodshed creates about 20 million tons of diverse food each year—including 80 different crops and livestock—which is about 20 times what the city consumes in a year. To further local food consumption, Mayor Newsom and nonprofit Garden for the Environment have organized edible urban gardens, and Newsom partnered with the nonprofit Slow Food to turn San Francisco's City Hall lawn into an organic garden.
Named the country's most walkable city by WalkScore.com—nearly 30 percent of trips are made on foot, another 16 percent via public transit—San Francisco can boast that only one percent of residents live in car-dependent neighborhoods. This means that people are on the streets and in the parks—the most notable of which is the 1,000-acre Golden Gate Park, which houses the new California Academy of Sciences—a LEED-platinum-ranked building with 2.5 acres of green roof. The city also provides incentives, through GoSolarSF and San Francisco Energy Watch, to local residents and businesses for solar installations and for energy efficiency building retrofits.
First in the U.S. to ban plastic grocery bags, San Francisco has also banned polystyrene foam food-service ware and has restricted plastic water bottles in city offices and for sale at public events. Furthermore, San Francisco is closer than any other city to the zero-waste goal; it diverts 70 percent of its waste from the landfill—the highest in the country. In 2006 it had the lowest disposal to the landfill in more than 30 years, despite growth. Maintaining its position as a green innovator, the city has seen its successes imitated by other cities, while it continues to rise to the challenges posed by urban living.
The Playbook website provides local governments with guidance and resources to rapidly advance green buildings, neighborhoods and infrastructure. Strategic action in these sectors promotes economic development, builds healthier communities, strengthens energy independence, and supports climate protection.
This website allows New York City residents and small businesses to sign up for green power in 3 easy steps.
The LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first national system for neighborhood design. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a development's location and design meet accepted high levels of environmentally responsible, sustainable development. Learn more.
Download the City of Portland and Multnomah County Climate Action Plan 2009 (pdf), which details the cities conservation and climate change preparation initiatives.
Visit Clean Energy Works: Portland for information on financing for residential energy effiency upgrades.
See the Portland Ecoroof program for information on the city's living roof projects.
Click here for information on Portland's sustainable stormwater management efforts.
See the Portland Brownfield Program to learn about how the city is reclaiming contaminated sites for development.
Download the City of El Paso's Livable City Sustainability Plan (pdf) for the city's overall strategy to improve quality of life in El Paso.
The El Paso Solar Energy Association (EPSEA) supports the development of solar installations in West Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico.
Visit the El Paso Department of Sustainability for information on local sustainabiltiy initiatives.
Download the Seattle Climate Protection Initiative Progress Report 2009 (pdf) for a report on recent initiatives.
Download the 2008 Seattle Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory (pdf) for details on the city's most recent energy audit.
See the Seattle Office of Housing HomeWise program for weatherization services available to homeowners.
See the Powerful Neighborhoods program to learn about free retrofits available to South Seattle residents.
Download the City of Fort Collins Utilities 2009 Energy Policy (pdf), which details the utilities goals and vision for 2050.
Download the City of For Collins Utilities Electric Energy Supply Policy 2008 Annual Update (pdf), which details the city's activities and progress since the Energy Policy.
Download the 2008 Fort Collins Climate Action Plan (pdf), which outlines the city's strategic plan to meet it's 2020 goal.
Click here for information on rebates and programs available to Fort Collins residents.
The resource manager in Ellensburg, WA came up with a plan to bring solar power to the whole community. In this Q&A he provides some useful advice on everything from financing to choosing the right solar panels.
To read about Berkeley's clean energy initiatives, check out the City of Berkeley official website.
Visit San Francisco's environment department at SFenvironment.org to learn about the city's environmental programs and policies.
See GoSolarSF for information on solar installation incentives and a map of solar activity in the city of San Francisco.
San Francisco Energy Watch provides energy assessments and discounts on efficiency installations and equipment.
Visit San Francisco's environment department at SFenvironment.org to learn about the city's environmental programs and policies.
See GoSolarSF for information on solar installation incentives and a map of solar activity in the city of San Francisco.
San Francisco Energy Watch provides energy assessments and discounts on efficiency installations and equipment.
Download the City of Dallas Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory (pdf) for details on the city's most recent energy audit.
See the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for information on how the state is working to preserve the air, land and water in Texas.
The Dallas Office of Environmental Quality works with the city toward environmental improvements in Dallas.
Green Dallas is the city's hub for local green initiatives and information.
Download the Boston Municipal Greenhouse Gas Inventories (pdf) for details on the city's energy audits.
See Sparking Boston's Climate Revolution Summary Report (pdf) for Climate Action Leadership Committee and Community Advisory Committee recommendations.
Read Boston's Solar America Cities profile to learn about Boston's efforts to increase local solar energy capacity.
Visit Solar Boston for a map of solar installations in the city.
The Oakland Green Jobs Corps provides green jobs training and employment services for low-income adults in Oakland.
See the Oakland Green Building Resource Center (GBRC) for local green building support.
See Energy Upgrade California in Alameda County to learn about the program's goals and projects.
See the Oakland Sustainability Program, through the City of Oakland Public Works Program, for information on upcoming local sustainability events, recent sustainability inititatives and programs and to download Oakland Sustainable Community Development progress reports.
See Get Green Columbus for a summary of the city's sustainability efforts from 2005-2009.
Download the Columbus Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Project List (pdf) for details on how the city is using the grant.
Download the Get Green 2010 Memo (pdf) for Columbus' green action plan.
The Columbus Green Forum promotes energy efficient and environmentally sustainable building in Central Ohio.
Download the Ten Year Reform and Efficiency and Action Plan (pdf) for the city's plan reduce municipal spending.
The Ecomony, Energy and Environment (E3) program is a collaboration between local and federal governments, manufacturers and utilites working toward greener industry.
Download the Inventory of New York City Greenhouse Gas Emissions (pdf) for information on the city's latest energy audit.
Download the PlanNYC Progress Report 2010 for a summary of the city's green acheivements to date.
See New York City's Greener, Greater Buildings Plan for details on the city's strategies for improving energy efficiency in existing buildings.
See New York City's Solar America Cities profile to learn about what New York is doing to increase solar energy capacity in the city.
Download the Austin Climate Protection Plan 2009 Annual Report for details on the city's progress.
Visit CoolAustin.org to learn about the city's efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Click here to learn about the Urban Heat Island Mitigation Project in Austin.
Click here to learn about Austin's Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) Ordinance.
See the Chicago Climate Action Plan for comprehensive details on the city's carbon reduction initiatives and for information on what businesses and residents can do to help.
Chicago's Climate Action Plan Progress Report 2008-2009 provides an update on the the first two years of city's efforts.
The Chicago Green Office Challenge is a friendly competition designed to inspire office tenants and property managers to conserve energy in office buildings.
The City of Chicago Environment Department liasons with other city departments, state agencies and nonprofits to develop and enforce environmental codes and regulations.
Download the Sustainable Long Beach Sustainable City Action Plan for details on the city's conservation goals and strategies.
Visit the Long Beach Office of Sustainability to read about the city's efforts to implement renewable energy.
See the 5th District Solar & Sustainability Task Force for information on the group's activity including meeting dates and agendas.
Berkeley FIRST provides financing for local solar installations.
See berkeleyclimateaction.org for a pdf of the Berkeley Climate Action Plan and an executive summary of the city's progress.
See the Berkeley Office of Energy and Sustainable Development for information on energy efficiency programs, rebates and resources.
Click here for information on rebates for upgrading to water-saving fixtures and appliances in Huntington Beach.
Click here for building energy efficiency standards in Hungtington Beach.
Click here for information on the Community Energy Partnership (CEP), a coalition working toward effective energy efficiency programs in the seven participating Southern California cities.
Click here for information on energy efficiency rebates available to Southern California residents.
Click here for information on the Climate Action Program in Santa Cruz.
Click here for the City of Santa Cruz Green Building Program.
Visit 30x20.org to join a Climate Action Team in Santa Cruz and pledge to reduce your carbon emissions.
Click here for a map of green projects underway in Beaverton.
Click here for information on the launch of Solar Beaverton, a pilot program providing solar incentives to 50 homeowners in Beaverton.
Sustainable Beaverton provides information on the city's most recent conservation initiatives.
Click here for information on energy efficiency rebates in Denton.
Download the final report of the Texas REConnect project, which considered how Texas utlities respond to requests for net metering and interconnecting small renewable energy generators.
Live in NYC and wonder what you can recycle and how? This guide will help.
Text of New York's Child Safe Playing Fields Act
Text of Connecticut's ban on pesticide use on school grounds
Cities for Cycling: National Association of City Transportation Officials project to catalog, promote and implement the world's best bicycle transportation practices in American municipalities. Includes several best practices sheets.
Cycling in the Netherlands: Guide to bicycling policies in the Netherlands (pdf)
Fietsberaad: Dutch cycling knowledge center
Bikeability: UK Cycling Proficiency Test
"At the Frontiers of Cycling: Policy Innovations in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany." World Transport Policy and Practice, Vol. 13, No. 3, December 2007, pp. 8-57
"How to Get More Bicyclists on the Road: To Boost Urban Bicycling, Figure Out What Women Want." Linda Baker. Scientific American, October 2009.
Bikes Belong: Research Resources
Designing Cities for Bicycle Transportation
Chicago Bike Lane Design Guide (pdf)
Los Angeles Bike Plan Draft, Chapter 5: Technical Design Handbook (pdf)
Minneapolis Bicycle Facility Manual (pdf)
New City York Street Design Manual
New York City's Ninth Avenue Bicycle Path and Complete Street, for ITE (pdf)
Portland Bikeway Design Best Practices, Appendix D
San Francisco Bicycle Plan Update: Supplemental Design Guidelines (pdf)
San Francisco Shared Markings Study (pdf)
London Cycling Design Standards, Transport for London (UK)
Cycling Guidelines and Practical Details Issue 2, Sustrans (UK)
Collection of Cycle Concepts, Danish Road Directorate (Denmark)
Database of Solar Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (lists some FIT programs), Department of Energy
Gainesville Regional Utilities feed-in-tariff documents
Sacramento Municipal Utility District FIT page
Text of the Vermont Energy Act of 2009 (H. 446) (pdf)
A Policy Maker's Guide to Feed-in Tariff Design, produced by the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (pdf)
Why, What a Smart Grid You Have!
American Cities Get Smart about Energy
Quiz: What Do You Know About Saving Energy?
New Energy Efficiency Tax Credits
Wind, Solar and Biomass Energy Today
Renewable Energy for America: Solar
Getting Good, Local Food on the iPhone
Food Essentials: Shop Wisely, Cook Simply, Eat Well
Miles to California: How Far Has Your Food Traveled?
Change Your Commute, Change Your City
Plug and Play: A Q&A with Luke Tonachel on Electric Cars
On Earth: These Roads Were Made for Biking
Greening Advisor: Public Transportation
Clean, Low-Emission, Affordable, New Transportation Act (CLEAN-TEA)
Partnerships for Change: Fighting for Green Space
Ask Us: How Can I Recycle Plastic Packaging?
E-waste: Saving Developing Countries From Our Electronic Junk
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