Beyond 2050
San Francisco
Despite their significant progress, San Francisco refuses to slow down in the fight against climate change. The government has concocted a plan to make transport, buildings, and energy sources greener among other things. One of their goals is to cut the amount of waste sent to landfills in half by 2030. They plan to do this through spreading information about waste sorting and recycling, making it easier to sort waste with dedicated recycling and composting bins, embracing plant-rich diets, promoting reusable foodware through the “Zero Waste Concessions” program, and actively monitoring waste generation through data collection. San Francisco sets an example for other cities through the electrification of their city and their goals for mitigating climate change.
San Francisco has always been at risk from climate change because of its coastal location, but it is a key part of our community. It is the home of several tech companies such as Google, Apple, Salesforce and IBM and has been a center of innovation since the 1849 gold rush. Also, the Gross Domestic Product of San Francisco accounts for about a quarter of the GDP of the Bay Area. San Francisco has a rich and diverse culture that cannot be replicated. For these reasons and much more, it is important that San Francisco works to mitigate the effects of ever-rising global temperatures and keep the city safe from disaster.
Fortunately, San Francisco has already made significant progress in countering climate change. For example, they have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by over 48% since 1990 by emphasizing vehicle electrification, making it easier to charge electric vehicles, and helping buildings to only use electricity. Also, San Francisco’s municipal transport system is the greenest in the country!