Blog: November, 2010
Urban Field Notes: Columbarium Is One Rare Place to Connect With the Dead
We can credit William Howard Taft for giving San Francisco the title of “The City that Knows How,” and in reality San Franciscans usually get what the city planners have up their sleeves. In 1902 they made a law — no more burials within city limits, followed by an even more restrictive law in 1910 — no more cremations. An additional requirement was that all graves be dug up and relocated to the tiny town of Colma. You may hear other stories, but the accepted rationale was that the city only had 49 square miles and needed every bit for more profitable (and taxable) ventures.
After completing the arduous task of moving thousands of bodies, the 27 acres of the original Odd Fellows Cemetery was quickly replaced with streets and housing. But the Columbarium, an imposing and solidly built repository-of-ashes, still stood at the end of Loraine Court. Seemingly a bit out of place in the center of progress, the Columbarium survived a City Hall skirmish to achieve landmark status in 1995, and it and its 7,000 “residents” remain.
The building’s name was taken from Latin: "columbarium" originally meant a place to keep pigeons. You'd think they would have come up with something a bit more human.
Located off the beaten path, not far from San Francisco University, the Columbarium is probably a place many residents don't know about. The Neptune Society, and the site’s sole (and tireless) caretaker, Emmitt Watson, have brought the place back to life. If you are interested, space is still available.
Where do we put our dead? We design our cities in preparation for the future, but concern about where to put the dead doesn't seem to be a priority. We deal with it in the shortest amount of time possible, yet nothing is more long-lasting. Making death a cohesive and compatible part of life will likely aid our acceptance of the inevitable.
An imposing structure. The four-tiered, round concrete building was designed by British architect Bernard J. Cahill in 1897. Previously, Cahill had gained a reputation for designing San Francisco's Civic Center. The building is the common blend of Roman and Greek architecture, with an imposing and heavy exterior, but the inside is much more light and airy.
A peaceful place with lovely objects. I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting, but the first time I entered the Columbarium my jaw dropped. Rich golden light filters in through stained glass windows, bathing the interior and precious objects in warmth. I first learned of the site from a portrait series shot here by San Francisco photographer Julie Michelle. It struck me as quite odd that someone would want to be photographed inside such a place, but after fully absorbing the mood I think this location made perfect sense.
We can thank Mr. Watson. The Columbarium hasn't always been this inviting. It had fallen into a deplorable condition prior to 1980 when it was purchased by the Neptune Society. The roof and everything else leaked, and squirrels and raccoons were making the place their own. Singlehandedly, Emmitt Watson has made the Columbarium his life's work, pouring his blood, sweat and tears into its restoration over the past 30 years
They say you can't take it with you. Many crypts are filled with meaningful and often whimsical objects from the person's life. It's not difficult to see that this individual was into photography and boating — hobbies he financed with his profession as a dentist.time.
Death disguised. Another well-illuminated crypt filled with personal objects. Some of these are so intimate that the discovery process almost feels like snooping. Emmitt Watson says, “What makes this place special is that people come here and they're comfortable. After services here, they don't run away. They take time, look around the building, enjoy it. There's a difference here from a regular cemetery — this is death disguised. I'm in here all the time and I forget that death is all around me.”
Somber and reserved? A repository-of-ashes is not your typical place to hear laughter, but here at the Columbarium you probably will. This is San Francisco and we, like Mr. Fernando here, are all highly quirky individuals in one way or another. And we know how to have a good time.
Final resting spot. Before my first visit someone had told me that Harvey Milk's ashes were here at the Columbarium, and although I searched high and low, it was only when I was leaving that I finally found his crypt near the front entrance. His crypt contains only a simple display of his portrait — my delightful afternoon suddenly turned into one of sadness.
Caseworker: Donald Kinney, 63, is a nature and landscape photographer, living and working out of Fairfax in Marin County. He publishes a daily photo-blog at aphotoaday.blogspot.com, and maintains what he calls his “big” website at www.photoarrow.com.
[Urban Field Notes, an additive of cultural landscapes and observations compiled by SPUR members and friends, will now be a regular feature on the SPUR Blog. Urban Field Notes can also be found in the Urbanist, a monthly publication sent to all SPUR Members. Send your ideas to Urban Field Notes editor Ruth Keffer at editor@spur.org]
The Week Ahead
Sutro Baths at sunset
Agostino di Tommaso: The Wilderness Downtown This travelogue focuses on the urban wilderness of five North American cities. Visit Boston, Toronto, Minneapolis, Portland, and Vancouver through pieces of information and recollections from Agostino di Tommaso, a visiting Scholar from Escola Tècnica Superior d'Arquitectura de Barcelona. This talk is part of the Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning Colloquium series. All are welcome to attend.
When: Wed. December 1, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Where: 315A Wurster Hall, UC Berkeley
Nancy Skinner: Local Governments for Sustainability Nancy Skinner, founder of ICLEI, will talk about the efforts to stop climate change by local and state governments. She will also discuss the ICLEI association, an organization made up of over 1200 local governments across the world dedicated to sustainable development. This talk is part of the DCRP Colloquium. All are welcome to attend.
When: Thurs. December 2, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Where: 106 Wurster Hall, UC Berkeley
ICA&CA NCC Presents: The Language of Towns & Cities: A Visual Dictionary with Dhiru Thadani “Architect and town planner Dhiru A. Thadani, AIA will sign and discuss his latest book, "The Language of Towns & Cities: A Visual Dictionary". Mr. Thadani brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this book, which is a blend of encyclopedia, illustrated design manual, and stunning photoessay collection. The book will be available for purchase at the event.”
R.S.V.P. Information: $25 ICA&CA Members, $35 General Admission; Advanced registration required. Contact: ICA&CA NCC: (415) 445-6700, info@classicist-nocal.org
When: Thurs. Dec. 2 6:00pm: Wine & Book Signing; 7:00pm: Presentation
Where: Walt Disney Family Museum, 104 Montgomery Street,The Presidio of San Francisco
Barbary Coast Trail® - Part 2 with Jeanne Beaudet: Take an informational walk through history from the birthplace of the Gold Rush to the original shoreline of San Francisco. The tour will end up in Jackson Square historic district for a viewing of the remaining Gold Rush and Barbary Coast-era buildings.
When: Sat., December 4, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Where: Portsmouth Square, San Francisco (Meet at the upper level of Portsmouth Square near the Schoolhouse Monument - southwest corner of the Square, along Clay Street)
Photo Credit: Fabiana Meacham
The Week Ahead
A few things to do over the holiday weekend:
Art for Architecture Exhibiton: The American Institute of Architects San Francisco and Center for Architecture + Design present Art for Architecture, an exhibition and online auction featuring a collection of exclusive drawings by internationally acclaimed architects and designers.
When: November 11 through Dec 15, Mon - Fri, 9am to 5pm
Where: 130 Sutter Street, Suite 600, San Francisco CA
Presidio Habitats: Exhibition Pavilion and Self-Guided Tours: "View the 25 proposed pieces of art by artists, architects, and designers in the Exhibition Pavilion and then tour the 11 selected pieces which have become apart of the Presidio landscape. An accompanying audio narrative, accessible by cell phone, an indoor Exhibition Pavilion, and an array of events invite the community to engage with the art and the park."
When: Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Also OPEN the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov 26
Where: The Exhibition Pavilion is located at the corner of Storey Avenue and Ralston Avenue in the Fort Scott District.
Mission Dolores: Birthplace of San Francisco with Al López: Learn about Mission San Francisco De Asís, also known as Mission Dolores - the Birthplace of San Francisco. Hear about the Indians who built the Mission, its historical art works, and how the Mission survived the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. Visit the adjacent Basilica and take an informative walk around the Mission cemetery.
When: Saturday, Nov 27, 1 - 3:30 p.m.
Where: Meet Al on the Mission steps at 16th and Dolores streets Note: a donation is required to enter the Mission ($5 adults/$3 seniors).
[Photo Credit: Colleen McHugh]
Planning the future of Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach is one of the gems of the San Francisco landscape, drawing more than 2 million visitors each year. It is an important piece of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, a wild landscape, an urban sea strand, a grand public open space.
Ocean Beach is also home to major elements of San Francisco’s wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.
The recent erosion events South of Sloat Boulevard and ongoing community efforts have created unprecedented momentum for a sustainable long-range plan. Drawing on the work of the Ocean Beach Vision Council and others, the plan will address the impact of rising seas, the physical and ecological processes shaping the beach, and improved integration with its natural, recreational, and urban contexts.
SPUR has been conducting interviews with local community members, advocates, and public agencies. We will be convening a series of public workshops and other programming to get input from local stakeholders.
Are Smaller Homes Here to Stay?
[Photo Credit: flickr user Dean Terry]
The post-recession trend toward smaller homes in suburban communities has grown over the past few years – and as the economy continues to lag, it’s likely these more modest homes will only rise in popularity. It remains unclear, however, if Americans have really begun to reevaluate the excesses of 6.5 bathrooms and a “celebrity-style media and screening room,” or whether they’re just putting those dreams on hold for the time being.
The building industry has certainly reacted to the American home-buyer’s current need for a more affordable, pared down lifestyle. A recent New York Times article featured Builder magazine’s 2010 “concept home,” a 1,700 square foot “Home for the New Economy.” A virtual tour of the house emphasizes the house's “roominess and livability,” low energy load and flexible interior spaces.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has also released a report on the changing housing industry, focusing on consumers’ new demands for single-family homes. According to the study, “characteristics of homes started in 2009 reveal a marketplace adapting to tougher economic times with fewer luxuries, but also point to a few amenities that have been on the upswing despite the general retrenchment of consumers.” While new houses are getting smaller and cheaper, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms showed little change. The study also found that while amenities like three-car garages, fireplaces and patios have declined, porches have shown an increase in popularity. (The Home for the New Economy features front and back porches.) One luxury feature that persists in new home construction is the two-story foyer – 30% of homes started in 2009 had one. It appears American homebuyers are willing to give up almost anything before a grand entrance.
But perhaps it is more important to consider whether new communities of smaller homes can make up for the decreased square footage of the houses themselves. In the same New York Times article, New Urbanist founding father Andres Duany posits that “the sprawling homes of the last decade met a need, albeit imperfectly, by reproducing internally what suburban communities lacked: an exercise room substitutes for a park, a home theater for the Main Street cinema.” Regardless of your take on Duany’s special brand of small-town American urbanism, it’s comforting to think that an increased demand for porches (and their tendency to foster social interaction), is the first manifestation of Americans’ newfound desire to reengage with their communities. It remains to be seen whether Americans will continue to appreciate them when they can once again afford larger, more isolated properties.
To better visualize the changing features of new single-family homes, The Wall Street Journal has created an interactive floor plan comparison of boom-era and post-recession luxury homes. Read the accompanying article, “Builders Downsize the Dream Home.”
Urban Field Notes: Backpacking in SF - Seven Scenes from an Adventure
A group clad in backpacks isn’t an unusual sight in San Francisco. One would probably assume they were tourists, maybe “drifters.” But what if these backpackers lived here? What if they were actually going camping?
In June my friends and I embarked on an adventure I dubbed "Urban Backpacking." We “hiked” from our apartments to meet in Alamo Square Park, wove our way to the Panhandle to pick up more of the group, then continued up Arguello to enter the Presidio, where we camped overnight — legally! — at the Rob Hill Campground. The next day we explored the Presidio further before heading home.
The Presidio is one of the only urban National Parks in the country. Although it’s most recognizable for its historic military buildings, I was more attracted to the Presidio’s non-built environment, in an effort to understand the natural roots of the city. I was surprised to learn that not everything growing in the Presidio had always been there. The planting of trees not native to the ecosystem, such as the iconic Monterey cypresses and pines, has been detrimental to some species.
Camping (intentionally) within city limits is unusual. And unusualness was our point. Like many San Franciscans, we take great pride in our creative, often quirky interactions with the city. And as Bay Areans, recreating in our natural surroundings — from picnicking in urban parks to taking in the views atop Mounts Diablo and Tamalpais — is an integral part of life. The Presidio presents an opportunity for a hike (or Urban Backpack) which starts and ends at your doorstep; this convenience and charm seems hard to resist.
1. Beginning in Alamo Square Park. Eager for attention, we couldn’t resist starting in front of the popular painted ladies. Three separate groups asked where we were from. All three seemed confused by our “expedition.”
2. Crossing Masonic. Sticking out the least in the Panhandle, where many tourists of the Haight also sport backpacks.
3a and 3b. Trapped in the golf course. After entering through the Arguello gate, I led the charge through my least favorite part of the Presidio: the golf course. When we attempted to exit the other side, we discovered we had been locked in and needed to hop fences in order to break out. How urban.
4. Camping at Rob Hill. Our campsite, the morning after. Managed by the Presidio Trust, the Rob Hill Campground is the highest point in the Presidio. It was, surprisingly, not gusty or freezing, and well-protected by shrubs and trees.
5. Tree-lined borders. In the 1880s approximately 400,000 trees were planted as a means of visual fortification around the edges of the park, clearing much of the native vegetation.
6. Native San Francisco. Coastal bluffs harbor the majority of the native plant habitats. Restoration efforts — such as that of the lessingia germanorum, a flowering plant in the daisy family on the state and federal endangered species list — provide a glimpse of the region’s ecological past. Information about many of these habitats is available along the network of trails within the park.
Caseworker: Liz Felter
[Urban Field Notes, an additive of cultural landscapes and observations compiled by SPUR members and friends, will now be a regular feature on the SPUR Blog. Urban Field Notes can also be found in the Urbanist, a monthly publication sent to all SPUR Members. Send your ideas to Urban Field Notes editor Ruth Keffer at editor@spur.org]
SPUR's Take on Amending the Bay Plan
[Photo Credit: flickr user Ostrosky Photos]
We know that the climate is changing. We know that sea levels are going to rise at a faster rate in the coming decades—as much as 16 inches by mid-century—and we know that large parts of the Bay Area are going to become vulnerable to flooding in the process. (Read SPUR's papers on sea level rise here and here.) Policy failure outside our region (nationally and internationally) is making it even more important within our region to both try to stop climate change and prepare for its worst and inevitable effects. How do we do this in a way that is logical yet sustainable, that harnesses regional ingenuity and collaboration, focuses growth in the right places, and prevents as much misery as possible?
Over the last two years, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) has been working on a proposal to amend its guidance document, the Bay Plan, to include new findings and policies related to climate change and sea level rise. This proposal is based on years of research by BCDC and others to try to understand and project the effects of future sea level rise on the shoreline—and what rising sea levels mean for people, property, infrastructure, and fragile Bay wetlands. (See the BCDC's report, "Living with a Rising Bay" and the Pacific Institute's "The Impacts of Sea Level Rise on the California Coast.")
The latest draft of the proposal, issued in September, provides guidance on how local governments and BCDC (within its narrow jurisdiction of 100 feet inland from the shoreline), should permit projects in the future inundation zone, and what kinds of projects should be allowed at all. It proposes to initiate a years-long public process to create a regional strategy for allocating limited flood protection resources and determining where development should not occur in the future, or even be removed. BCDC has been holding an official public hearing on this topic that has remained open for months. They have received hundreds of comments and there will be more workshops and hearings over the next few months. You can find out more at the BCDC Commission meetings and through their FAQs.
SPUR has published several papers on climate change over the last few years; one creates a prioritized climate action plan for the City of San Francisco; a second paper addresses the necessity of sea level rise planning, and provides a typology of shoreline management strategies we might need to use to adapt to the changes in our region. We have an ongoing task force working to vet climate adaptation strategies for the region, including how we should deal with new threats of extreme weather and sea level rise. We have also been trying to build awareness of the need for a regional conversation around this topic through exhibits and public forums at the SPUR Urban Center.
SPUR thinks BCDC’s efforts to study and to raise awareness on sea level rise are incredibly important, and that amending the Bay Plan is a timely and logical next step. We also understand why the specifics of their draft proposal have raised concerns—from Bay restoration advocates, to local governments, to developers with sights on shoreline properties. But we think a workable solution for everyone is possible, and we suggested changes to BCDC this week in a letter and a set of line-item edits to the proposed amendments.
To summarize some of the concerns that have been raised:
- Bay environmental advocates who know that 90 percent of the Bay’s original wetlands have been destroyed want further assurances from BCDC that there will be no more inappropriate shoreline development or fill, and that opportunity sites for restoration will be saved for that purpose (helping us solve climate change, because wetlands sequester carbon).
- Developers and property owners would like the Bay Plan to guarantee that new climate change policies will not affect existing permit holders and will not conflict with the region’s new SB 375 requirements to build transit-oriented infill (which also helps us solve climate change, because people will drive less).
- Local governments would like to have a better understanding of how to permit or protect development in areas that may be inundated in the future, but want more recognition that local building officials—and not BCDC—do all the zoning and most of the permitting of new projects.
In SPUR’s view, the proposed amendments provide some fairly strong assurances to restoration advocates (that should remain strong), but inadequate assurances to property owners and developers about their future liabilities, and a confusing slate of guidance to local governments on how they should reconcile all the climate change information being handed down by regional agencies (BCDC isn’t totally responsible for this, of course, but the Bay Plan could reference some of the other efforts, and in SPUR’s version, it does). While BCDC’s attempt to solve for sea level rise, MTC’s attempt to solve for reducing personal vehicle travel, ABAG’s attempt to solve for compact land use, and BAAQMD’s attempt to solve for air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are all important, we need a fine-grained analysis to ensure that we achieve these goals in a coordinated way. We need to carefully lay out a plan for the region going forward that provides clarity, especially for local governments, and reconciles competing goals. And most importantly, we must not intentionally plan to optimize for a single issue, like sea level rise, because climate change is not the only issue facing our region in the future. We have many development and conservation goals. We don’t want to make them harder to achieve, or at worst, accidentally force more development into sprawl.
The changes SPUR suggested to BCDC this week for the Bay Plan can be summarized in five main points. We want the Bay Plan amendments to:
- Define “infill development” to include: underutilized land within urbanized areas that are served by existing infrastructure including transit, conversion of former military bases, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and ABAG Priority Development Areas;
- Encourage local governments, and the Commission within its jurisdiction, to allow infill projects to proceed, and others if they have an adaptation and financial strategy, while a regional sea level rise strategy is being developed;
- Provide formal assurances in new findings clarifying that the proposed amendments do not expand the Commission’s jurisdiction;
- Provide assurances to give certainty to activities that may be undertaken in the future that are within the scope of an existing permit;
- State that BCDC should work with other agencies and local governments to identify long-term regional flood protection strategies and create consistency with SB 375 sustainable communities strategies.
Overall, we at SPUR are very encouraged by our regional agencies’ efforts to solve for global warming in a world that cannot seem to enact the changes we need. We are grateful to BCDC for being a thought leader on this issue. We think it is totally possible and necessary to encourage appropriate infill development and meaningfully plan for sea level rise. We can do this at the regional scale, and we must also do it locally. And we believe that our proposed changes to the Bay Plan Amendments are an improvement on BCDC’s template, and will advance many of our region’s aspirations for the future.
Let us know what you think.
The Week Ahead
SPUR's tour of Mid-Market is this Wednesday. Tours are open to members only. Learn more about becoming a SPUR member.
Permaculture Boot Camp at Hayes Valley Farm: Learn how to help create sustainable communities through the theories and principles of Permaculture. In this three-hour introduction you will explore the fundamentals of Permaculture, a modern agriculture system involving ecology, culture, and urban settings.
When: Tuesday, November 16, 6:00-9:30PM
Where: Hayes Valley Farm, 450 Laguna Street, San Francisco
Visiting Scholars Roundtable: Following Landscape Features Both Locally and Naturally Professor Zhong Xing of Chongqing University will use TongBai’s general land use plan for its downtown area to explain the importance of natural landscapes. He will go over the problems caused by using artificial geometric landscapes and discuss “natural green frameworks,” a method of putting natural and planned green space into existing urban settings.
When: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 3:00-4:00PM
Where: IURD Conference Room, 316 Wurster Hall, UC Berkeley
Happy Hours with Muni Diaries and I Live Here:SF SOMArts is hosting a happy hour event where you can view the Muni Diaries exhibition. Inside the gallery you’ll see photographs by Julie Michelle, the mastermind behind I Live Here:SF, art by Chris Rusak, and collection of film archived by Rick Prelinger. You will also have the opportunity to create your own piece of art for the digital addition to their website, Muni Time Capsule. Take Muni there: 12, 19, 27, 47.
When: Wednesday, November 17, 5:00-8:00PM
Where: SOMArts: 934 Brannan Street (cross street is 8th Street), San Francisco
Kofi Bonner: Hunters Point Shipyard/Candlestick Point Revitalization Kofi Bonner has an elaborate history of community development and planning around the bay area. He graduated with honors from the University of Science and Technology in Ghana and holds Masters degrees in City Planning and Architecture from UC Berkeley, where he has also taught graduate studies for community economic development. Bonner will discuss his new project in Hunters Point Shipyard-Candlestick Point, aimed to create over 400 acres of new parks and open space, establish new transit routes for southeast San Francisco, and create up to 10,000 new homes with thousands offered below market-rate.
When: Thursday, November 18, 5:00-6:30PM
Where: 106 Wurster Hall, UC Berkeley
CED Lecture Series: Julian Wekel: Berlin – Planning for the Urban Renaissance of a European Metropolis This presentation will give an overview of Berlin’s history in urban development. It will focus on the visions, goals, planning, and implementation of the city’s urban design elements that still exist today. A glimpse into the capital's urban future will be provided as well. Julian Wekel is currently Professor and Chair of Urban Design and Regional Planning at Darmstadt University of Technology. He was formerly Director of Urban Development and Environmental Protection for the Berlin State Senate.
When: Thursday, November 18, 7:00-8:00PM
Where: 112 Wurster Hall, UC Berkeley
[Photo Credit: Colleen McHugh]
Weekly Snapshot
Demolition of the Transbay Terminal
School Brings Farming to the Big Apple: A formerly vacant lot in the East Bronx now serves as a classroom for The New York City School of Urban Agriculture, a new venture aimed at helping students use urban farming to foster a healthy food culture in their community.
Washington Rethinks its Rules on Building Height: Washington, D.C. is reexamining its outdated zoning laws that restrict building height in the city. While some argue that taller buildings would diversify the cityscape, allow for greener construction, and prevent gentrification, others worry that raising the height limit could jeopardize the unique character of the city.
Lindin Alley Planners in SF Went Extra Mile: After five years, numerous bureaucratic hurdles, and lots of determination, Lindin Living Alley has finally sprung up in Hayes Valley, adding to the collection of SF parks created by “bootstrap urbanism.”
Neglect Threatens Many of Italy’s Cherished Ruins: Over the centuries, Italy’s ruins have survived earthquakes, volcano blasts and pillaging, but as of recently, some of them are crumbling due to poor upkeep and negligence alone. The loss of such treasures could spell trouble for the country’s tourism industry.
Market on a Mission: Thanks to neighborhood planner Jeremy Shaw, a once derelict block in SF’s Mission District is now home to a vibrant community market hosting music, food and family activities every Thursday.
Photo Credit: Colleen McHugh
SPUR Tours Recycle Central
Just because you can recycle it, doesn't mean you should be using it
San Francisco is successful at many things, but there is one place where we shine above all other cities in the country – our recycling and compost programs. San Francisco was the first major city in the U.S. to implement a citywide curbside composting program open to all residents and businesses. Almost a decade after the program's initial roll-out, alongside an ever-expanding recycling program, San Francisco now boasts the highest waste diversion rate in the country – 77% in 2010. This whopping figure exceeded even our own goals for the year, and we’re on track to keep improving next year. (See SPUR's Urbanist article "Toward zero waste" here.) The cooperation of both Recology (San Francisco's waste management company) and the City has created a gold standard for waste management -- one that Cities around the world are eager to learn from and emulate.
SPUR toured Recycle Central last month, providing members with an insider's view of this visionary program. Recycle Central is Recology's state-of-the-art sorting facility located at Pier 96 along San Francisco's eastern waterfront. Collection trucks endlessly file in, dumping 750 tons of their commingled recyclables on the industrial concrete floor every day. Large bulldozers then take the recycled material and load it into machinery, which (alongside the admirably hard work of sorters) separates the material into numerous commodities. These sorted materials are then sent all around the United States and the world. Glass gets remade into bottles in the East Bay, aluminum goes by rail to Tennessee to be remade into cans, paper bales head to mills in the Northwest U.S., plastic is shipped to China. These materials are certainly put to much better use than if they had been sent to landfill.
One of the San Francisco recycling program's biggest strengths is that it accepts almost anything that could potentially be recycled. You name it: plastic clamshell take-out containers, coffee cup lids, kid's meal toys, and even CDs and DVDs (including the cases). This is all in addition to the standard items that we typically think of as recyclables: an aluminum can may be reformed many times without the addition of new materials; glass can be reformed into new glass bottles and be back on the shelf with new liquids within six weeks; markets exist for recycled paper, particularly white office paper. Recycling aluminum, glass and paper helps pay for the cost of providing San Francisco's recycling program
Towards the end of the tour while we discussed the various items that one can place in the blue bin, it became clear that Recology ironically does not want many of the materials they accept. Despite the fact that the vast majority of coffee cups and plastic toys do not get properly sorted make into people’s blue bins, these materials are extremely cheap in quality and do not make a good sell to material buyers. Essentially, nobody wants old CDs and DVDs – Recology just accepts them and tries to recycle them because doing so helps San Francisco make progress toward zero waste, a goal set by the Board of Supervisors. Recycling materials that have market value won't pay all the costs associated with collecting, sorting and shipping recyclables, but doing so helps offset some of these costs. But when we are talking about low-quality plastics, what the recycling industry calls "junk plastic," we are not talking about valued material; often the best we can hope for is a new park bench. So we as consumers should avoid purchasing or accepting junk plastic.
The point here is that just because you can recycle something, does not mean that you should be using the product. For many materials, recycling is not the solution – the solution is avoiding using the product altogether and looking for alternatives. Instead of a single-use coffee cup, buy a reusable stainless steel one. Decline taking a plastic bag—which often may have a usable life measured in minutes, and cannot be recycled— and bring a tote. I can guarantee the workers that spend upwards of five hours each day cutting away plastic bags of that gum up Recycle Central’s sorting machinery will thank you. This all makes perfect sense when you consider the mantra: "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Recycling should be the last priority. We can have the most state-of-the-art recycling system in place, but some materials are just not good, and clearly should be left out of the waste stream – especially if we would like to reach our goal of zero waste.
[Photo Credit: All photos by Colleen McHugh]
Tours are open to SPUR members only. Learn more about becoming a SPUR member.
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