As keenly noted by San Francisco's "Sustainable City" website,
"A sustainable society meets the needs of the present without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." The definition of sustainability offered by Chris Mayda is, "Living on Earth while maintaining a balance of all natural ecosystems, including humans. Recognizing that resources are limited, so that they are sustained throughout time and for future generations."
The seal is native to San Francisco (http://traveltips.usatoday.com)
Since 1993, the city of San Francisco has instituted a plan in order to effectuate the process towards a sustainable future. A Commission on San Francisco's Environment was given the task of carrying out the plan which addresses the following areas:
- Air Quality
- Biodiversity
- Energy, Climate Change, and Ozone Depletion
- Food and Agriculture
- Hazardous Materials
- Human Health
- Parks, Open Spaces and Streetscapes
- Solid Waste
- Transportation
- Water and Wastewater
As declared by the San Francisco Planning Department's Website: "The Planning Department’s Sustainable Development Program is responsible for balancing San Francisco’s plans for future growth within the context of the State’s requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (AB 32 and SB 375) and the City’s goals to reduce water consumption, reduce waste, and enhance community-scale energy resources."(http://www.sf-planning.org) Current "Active Plans & Projects" can be found here: http://www.sf-planning.org/index.aspx?page=2673. Their Youtube channel also employs several interesting and useful resources detailing the current efforts being made towards a greener city. The following video offered by the Planning Department is an example of a means of mitigating urban runoff, which is a non-point source of pollution, while implementing sustainability into one's daily life:
Water:
San Francisco's Bay Delta Watershed "...covers more than 75,000 square miles and includes the largest estuary on the west coasts of North and South America. It also contains the only inland delta in the world." (http://www2.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/about-watershed) It is a key source of drinking water for 25 million Californians, provides water for agriculture, encompasses important shipping channels, ports, highway and railway corridors, energy lines, and provides a habitat for many endangered species. As reported by An Introduction to the San Francisco Estuary, by Andrew Cohen, "Over the past 200 years, most of the Estuary’s vegetated wet- lands have been destroyed. The riparian woodlands along the Delta and Central Valley waterways were initially cut down to power steamboats and provide fuelwood and charcoal for industry and homes, and then further extinguished by the levee construction and bank protection activities of flood control and land reclamation projects." (http://sfep.sfei.org) Today, the food chain is less productive, some populations have become extinct, such as shorebirds, rails, herons, ibises and terns, due to the costs of social upheaval.
The habitats are: fresh water, brackish water, and salt water, and among the endangered species are delta smelt, steelhead, spring run Chinook salmon, and winter run Chinook salmon. The threats to the watersheds are pollution from urban and industrial runoff, which has historically taken place due to the Gold Rush, and industrial storm water. Other negative influences include invasive species, dams, and water divisions. All of these detrimental effects are being assuaged by the "watershed approach", which is recounted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as so: "The watershed approach facilitates participation from interested stakeholders, optimizes use of environmental laws, and fosters local stewardship necessary to generate and sustain water quality improvements."(www2.epa.gov)
Resource Use:
San Francisco's native gold supply in the Sierra Nevada was ravaged beginning in on January 24, 1848, when James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill which detonated the famed Gold Rush. The unintended consequences of the search for gold were: mining debris being thrown in the surrounding watersheds, pollution of the watersheds with mercury, deforestation, overfishing and hunting, disease introduction, introduction of nonnative animal species such as the donkey, introduction of nonnative plant species, displacement of native plants, overuse of the land, and displacement of the Native American peoples who inhabited the area. As noted in Chris Bowman's article No One Tracked the Cost in Environmental Damage: "'Environmental destruction occurred because there was no policy to do anything else,' said David Beesley, a history professor at Sierra College in Rocklin. 'This was a period of unregulated use.' " (http://www.calgoldrush.com).
The success of San Francisco's fishery is an essential part of the city's history. Chinese immigrants established a commercial shrimp industry beginning in 1871. After, in 1913, the sardine industry became the largest in the U.S., due to the demand for canned good during WWI. Mainly Italian immigrants then supported a flourishing Dungeness crab fishing industry in 1925 on Meigg's Wharf. The Dungeness crab industry hit its zenith in the 1950s, and rock bottom in the early 1970s, due to a loss of habitat for the crab, changing ocean temperature cycles, and overfishing. Ocean temperature changes and overfishing also contributed to the collapse of California's sardine industry, as well as the decline in populations of herring and salmon. Though the state officially closed the commercial and recreational season of salmon and the commercial season of herring in 2008 and 2009, respectively, regulators have now opened up the industry, despite numbers of fish populations never reaching what they were at the height of the fishing industry in California. The city is currently implementing the "Fisherman's Wharf Public Realm Plan", which the city's website says will "...support a diverse and active public life and will build on the Wharf’s historic roots as the home to San Francisco’s last working fishing fleet. By reaffirming Fisherman’s Wharf’s status as one of San Francisco’s premier attraction, the Public Realm Plan will both help solidify the Wharf’s future economic vitality, as well as strengthen its connection to the city." (http://www.sf-planning.org)
Energy
Solar
There are various incentives being offered to residents, businesses, and nonprofits in San Francisco, such as receiving "...credit from the utility for feeding excess electricity back into the grid when you you’re using less than it is producing. This is called 'net-metering.'" (http://www.sfenvironment.org) Additionally, each resident, business, or nonprofit utilizing solar electricity in line with the "GoSolarSF" Program, will receive an incentive payment tied to each meter they use.
Wind
The prime area to utilize wind energy in San Francisco is offshore, as high speeds and low turbulence leads to a steady source of energy. However, those same areas present the problem of underwater land that is far too deep for traditional wind power systems, so the land must be studied to enable future designs. San Francisco has a moderate potential for on-shore wind farms, on the tops of downtown buildings, along city streets, in small-scale independent farms, or even for residential use.
Water
San Francisco has a huge potential for the use of hydro-kinetic energy. "The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission powers almost all municipal facilities and operations, from City Hall to MUNI, with hydroelectric power generated at the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite." (www.sfenvironment.org) The Hetch Hetchy system provides plentiful drinking water, and "...1.6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean, hydroelectric power annually for the City and County of San Francisco’s municipal tenants and retail customers as well as additional energy for residents and businesses in the 662 square-mile service area of the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts."(www.sfenvironment.org)
Geothermal
Since 1960, Sonoma County has been accoutering geothermal energy Calpine Corporation’s Geysers facility in the Mayacamas Mountains. It is the largest facility of its type in the world, and provides 24% of California's renewable energy, and 40% of the U.S.' geothermal power. Because geothermal energy has no limit or time constraint, it is an essential factor in achieving California's goal of using 33% renewable energy by 2020 for its electricity needs.
Sustainable Commuting
The current Transportation Sustainability Program was put in place to work in alignment with the California Environmental Quality Act of 2012. "The Commuter Benefits Ordinance encourages commuters to walk, bike, take transit and rideshare by requiring employers to offer commuter benefits to eligible employees." (http://www.sfenvironment.org) Businesses with more than 20 employees are responsible for implementing the ordinance. The Commuter Benefits Program incentives include:Pre-tax transportation benefits, which is up to $245/month, to pay for transit or vanpool expenses, employer-paid transportation benefits, which is a monthly allotment of $76/month, for the San Francisco Muni Fast Pass, and employer-provided transportation, which is funded by the company to transport employees to and from work. Employers are required to provide at least one of these services to employees.
Water:
San Francisco's Bay Delta Watershed "...covers more than 75,000 square miles and includes the largest estuary on the west coasts of North and South America. It also contains the only inland delta in the world." (http://www2.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/about-watershed) It is a key source of drinking water for 25 million Californians, provides water for agriculture, encompasses important shipping channels, ports, highway and railway corridors, energy lines, and provides a habitat for many endangered species. As reported by An Introduction to the San Francisco Estuary, by Andrew Cohen, "Over the past 200 years, most of the Estuary’s vegetated wet- lands have been destroyed. The riparian woodlands along the Delta and Central Valley waterways were initially cut down to power steamboats and provide fuelwood and charcoal for industry and homes, and then further extinguished by the levee construction and bank protection activities of flood control and land reclamation projects." (http://sfep.sfei.org) Today, the food chain is less productive, some populations have become extinct, such as shorebirds, rails, herons, ibises and terns, due to the costs of social upheaval.
The Pacific Bluefin Tuna is native to the saltwater watershed. (news.discovery.com)
The Steelhead Trout is a native Anadromous fish, which is born in freshwater, migrates out to the ocean in order to reach maturity, then returns to fresh water as an adult to spawn. (www.sciencedaily.com )
The Rainbow Trout is a native freshwater fish.
(wigglefin.com)
Resource Use:
San Francisco's native gold supply in the Sierra Nevada was ravaged beginning in on January 24, 1848, when James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill which detonated the famed Gold Rush. The unintended consequences of the search for gold were: mining debris being thrown in the surrounding watersheds, pollution of the watersheds with mercury, deforestation, overfishing and hunting, disease introduction, introduction of nonnative animal species such as the donkey, introduction of nonnative plant species, displacement of native plants, overuse of the land, and displacement of the Native American peoples who inhabited the area. As noted in Chris Bowman's article No One Tracked the Cost in Environmental Damage: "'Environmental destruction occurred because there was no policy to do anything else,' said David Beesley, a history professor at Sierra College in Rocklin. 'This was a period of unregulated use.' " (http://www.calgoldrush.com).
(ushistoryimages.com)
(http://www.ryanmchase.com/gold_rush_2011)
The success of San Francisco's fishery is an essential part of the city's history. Chinese immigrants established a commercial shrimp industry beginning in 1871. After, in 1913, the sardine industry became the largest in the U.S., due to the demand for canned good during WWI. Mainly Italian immigrants then supported a flourishing Dungeness crab fishing industry in 1925 on Meigg's Wharf. The Dungeness crab industry hit its zenith in the 1950s, and rock bottom in the early 1970s, due to a loss of habitat for the crab, changing ocean temperature cycles, and overfishing. Ocean temperature changes and overfishing also contributed to the collapse of California's sardine industry, as well as the decline in populations of herring and salmon. Though the state officially closed the commercial and recreational season of salmon and the commercial season of herring in 2008 and 2009, respectively, regulators have now opened up the industry, despite numbers of fish populations never reaching what they were at the height of the fishing industry in California. The city is currently implementing the "Fisherman's Wharf Public Realm Plan", which the city's website says will "...support a diverse and active public life and will build on the Wharf’s historic roots as the home to San Francisco’s last working fishing fleet. By reaffirming Fisherman’s Wharf’s status as one of San Francisco’s premier attraction, the Public Realm Plan will both help solidify the Wharf’s future economic vitality, as well as strengthen its connection to the city." (http://www.sf-planning.org)
Energy
Solar
There are various incentives being offered to residents, businesses, and nonprofits in San Francisco, such as receiving "...credit from the utility for feeding excess electricity back into the grid when you you’re using less than it is producing. This is called 'net-metering.'" (http://www.sfenvironment.org) Additionally, each resident, business, or nonprofit utilizing solar electricity in line with the "GoSolarSF" Program, will receive an incentive payment tied to each meter they use.
Wind
The prime area to utilize wind energy in San Francisco is offshore, as high speeds and low turbulence leads to a steady source of energy. However, those same areas present the problem of underwater land that is far too deep for traditional wind power systems, so the land must be studied to enable future designs. San Francisco has a moderate potential for on-shore wind farms, on the tops of downtown buildings, along city streets, in small-scale independent farms, or even for residential use.
Water
San Francisco has a huge potential for the use of hydro-kinetic energy. "The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission powers almost all municipal facilities and operations, from City Hall to MUNI, with hydroelectric power generated at the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite." (www.sfenvironment.org) The Hetch Hetchy system provides plentiful drinking water, and "...1.6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean, hydroelectric power annually for the City and County of San Francisco’s municipal tenants and retail customers as well as additional energy for residents and businesses in the 662 square-mile service area of the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts."(www.sfenvironment.org)
Geothermal
Since 1960, Sonoma County has been accoutering geothermal energy Calpine Corporation’s Geysers facility in the Mayacamas Mountains. It is the largest facility of its type in the world, and provides 24% of California's renewable energy, and 40% of the U.S.' geothermal power. Because geothermal energy has no limit or time constraint, it is an essential factor in achieving California's goal of using 33% renewable energy by 2020 for its electricity needs.
Sustainable Commuting
The current Transportation Sustainability Program was put in place to work in alignment with the California Environmental Quality Act of 2012. "The Commuter Benefits Ordinance encourages commuters to walk, bike, take transit and rideshare by requiring employers to offer commuter benefits to eligible employees." (http://www.sfenvironment.org) Businesses with more than 20 employees are responsible for implementing the ordinance. The Commuter Benefits Program incentives include:Pre-tax transportation benefits, which is up to $245/month, to pay for transit or vanpool expenses, employer-paid transportation benefits, which is a monthly allotment of $76/month, for the San Francisco Muni Fast Pass, and employer-provided transportation, which is funded by the company to transport employees to and from work. Employers are required to provide at least one of these services to employees.
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