»Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, Part Two

San Francisco's Recycling program has broadened the variety of plastic containers it can process. The general recycling guidelines are part of the San Francisco Environment web site. I recently started using corn-based self-composting garbage bags, and part of their appeal is the exorbitant retail cost. It provokes me to reflect back down the supply chain: I think before throwing out anything, before composting items, and before recycling. Where did the item come from? How might I avoid throwing out similar items in the future? Might I reasonably reuse what I am about to discard? Might someone else? Where did this item come from, and how much packaging, fuel, and byproducts are associated with it?

... we are pleased to add plastic tubs and lids to the ever-increasing list of products we accept. Check beneath the tub or lid: if you see the numbers 2, 4 or 5 in what looks like a "recycle" symbol, then you can put it in your blue cart along with your other recyclables. These tubs and lids are the ones customarily used for yogurt, margarine, cottage cheese, sour cream, and other food products-just make sure you've eaten or composted any leftover food from the container.

The plastic tubs and lids go to a local manufacturer that makes a durable garden edging product called Bend-A-Board. Plastic items collected in San Francisco also get made into auto parts, carpeting, clothing, and of course into new plastic bottles. It's good to buy products made from recycled content because it allows us maintain a market for the recyclables we collect; it's not so good to use products that are not recyclable or compostable.

San Francisco: a clean city.