1. Embrace Composting.
San Francisco has set a goal to have zero waste by 2020. We loved the idea but the mess in the big green bin by the end of the week, not to mention the confusion about exactly what can be composted, was not working for us… and deterring a lot of our friends from composting. After a little investigation, we found some great solutions to the first problem. One happy discovery is BioBags which we've found at Whole Foods, Real Foods and Standard Ace Hardware in Laurel Village. If you have a large family or doing a lot of cooking you can use the trash can size to put the food scrapes in or for smaller needs use a bowl with the small Biobags. We like to use the bowl on the counter while we are cooking and then tie it up and throw it in the big compost bin at the end of the night. Another trick is using a milk carton, opening the lid completely and throwing the scraps in. When you have filled the milk carton close the top and toss it all in the compost. Brilliant!
Regarding our second issue, we found a handy flyer on the SF Recycling website that notes in painstaking detail what goes in the green bin. We keep a printout taped on the inside of a kitchen cabinet door so that the list is handy at all times.
2. No more Plastic Bags!
We all have them, plastic bags from the grocery store that we swear we are going to re-use but they collect like lint blankets in the dyer. Sure, plastic is convenient but what a mess it is making of the environment! Out of pure serendipity we stumbled on two happy solutions. In the produce section at Whole Foods we found Tazzy Totes. They are mesh see-through bags that you can use for your veggies, fruits and bulk foods. They even have the weight of the bag on them so the checkout person can deduct the weight. We love them because when you get home you can toss the fruits and vegetables right in the crisper. The mesh bags allow your produce to breathe so it does not build up moisture in the bag. We tried to get more but they are flying out the door so keep an eye out for them in the produce section. Albany-based Flip and Tumble
also has really nice produce and shopping bags as well, and you can order direct from their site. The produce bags are sold out until January 20th 2010, so check in with them later in the month.
Tazzy Totes
Flip and Tumble
3. Buy Locally.
Buying seasonally and locally is pretty easy in San Francisco. One of us has a ritual Saturday visit to the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building. The other participates in various produce CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), including Frog Hollow Farm and a organic grocery delivery service, SPUD . For those unfamiliar, CSAs deliver a seasonal box of produce to a central location (school or someone’s home) to be picked up at scheduled intervals, or in some cases will deliver to your home for maximum convenience. This allows you to get the freshest produce, eat seasonally and try out new fruits and vegetables while supporting local farms. It is a win-win for all involved. This year we've decided to take it a step further and try a meat CSA. We are presently looking into the Marin Sun Farms CSA for their 100% grass-fed and pasture raised livestock. We will let you know how the venture goes. If you know of any great CSAs let us know in the comments section.
