side-area-logo

Case Studies

Zero Waste

According to the EPA, the national recycling rate in the U.S. is only about 34%. That means most of our solid waste goes to landfills and incinerators – including recyclable items like paper, glass, metal and plastic. Massive amounts of food waste that can be composted is clogging landfills, creating dangerous greenhouse gases. Many cities are starting to tackle this problem by implementing policies to help curb the waste by recycling and composting more. It’s known as the “zero waste” movement, and San Francisco is on the forefront. Other cities that have zero waste goals include Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Austin, and Oakland. But San Francisco has been the most aggressive. In 2009 the board of supervisors passed an ordinance requiring all residents and business to recycle and compost their waste, making it the first American city to make composting mandatory. Its goal is to achieve zero waste by 2020, and it has diverted 80% of its waste from landfills so far. Now the city is getting attention from all around the world. Government officials from China, Italy, France, Denmark, India and many other countries have visited San Francisco’s state of the art recycling and composting facilities in hopes of learning how to replicate its success.

→ https://sfenvironment.org/zero-waste-in-SF-is-recycling-composting-and-reuse

Sustainable Cities

With an estimated 70% of the world’s population predicted to live in cities by 2050, sustainable cities are key.This video by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Urban Infrastructure Initiative (UII) highlights creative ways that business and cities can work together for a sustainable future.

«Each city has its own sustainable challenges and priorities and need to involve key stakeholders in defining their sustainable pathway. The Cities program offers a space for interactions between cities, businesses and citizen to engage with each other, build a common vision and develop suitable innovative solutions. The role of the private sector is critical for providing expertise, strategic approach and financial capacity to deliver tailored sustainable solutions at local levels for a global outreach. »

→ https://www.wbcsd.org/Programs/Cities-and-Mobility

Zero Waste Society

The village of Kamikatsu in Japan has taken their commitment to sustainability to a new level. While the rest of the country has a recycling rate of around 20 percent, Kamikatsu surpasses its neighbors with a staggering 80 percent. After becoming aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide associated with burning garbage, the town instated the Zero Waste Declaration with the goal of being completely waste-free by 2020.

Loading...