Do you compost? The Eco Women are big fans of it, but recognize that it’s not something that everyone can do. However, if you live in San Francisco, you will soon be required by law to compost. Yes, it’s true, last month San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom signed a law that requires all residents to start composting by October 21. Scofflaws will be fined $100.
This is all part of the mayor’s larger goal for the city to have zero waste by 2020. The city already diverts 72% of recyclable materials from landfills and creates 400 tons of compost annually.
Recycla applauds this effort but wonders how this will affect apartment dwellers — where will they dump their kitchen scraps if they don’t have a backyard compost bin?
What do you think about this legislation — a good idea or too officious?
If you’re interested in learning more about composting, see the Eco Women’s posts on composting and worm bins.
Easy – they can use worm bins! Under the sink, no odor and great results. What to do with the compost? Uh…leave a trail on your way to work each day? : )
I think the idea behind this is fantastic, but I have to question. If the gov really wants people to compost, why don’t they set up a municipal compost system? They’d probably get much better results and much happier constituents.
I’d love to see composting become as commonplace as recycling–but it will take as much educating and facilitating as recycling. Imagine, driving up and getting compost for FREE from your city’s compost station! Speaking of which, I should take mine out to the pile here…
I think it’s great!! I wish other major cities would do the same thing…
I like the idea – not sure about the fine. $100 for some is more than it is for others – maybe community service (cs) instead
cs is always a win-win.
It’s a little much. Even if you disregard how personal freedom is being infringed, you have to wonder how exactly the city intends to enforce this. Is someone going to go through the trash bag by bag?
For the money they are probably spending on this, they would be better off trying to win the hearts and minds of the population to do it voluntarily. People tend to resent being ordered to do things and find ways to resist.
Ie, before we cracked and bought our Lawn Waste trash can, I bagged my yard waste and threw it in with the regular trash, muttering, “Take THAT, State of Bossy Wisconsin trying to tell me what I can put in the trash or not,” which was completely counterproductive as bagged yard waste in the landfill is really not going to decompose any time soon.
I like the idea – no, I love the idea of an entire city mandating composting. However, why do it individually? A municipal compost collection would be the best for a big city. Easy enforcement, easy collection. The finished product could be offered up free or inexpensively to gardeners.