By: Hayley Solarz

We’ve written before about one inherent contradiction about life in San Francisco – while we’re fortunate to live in a hyper-conscious “green city”, we still rank among the dirtiest cities in the nation. Clearly we need to look to new solutions for cleaning up our streets, so that we can live up to our “green city” moniker.

“Green Gloves” Stashes Away the Sporks and Styrofoam

Just across the Bay, Oakland Unified School District is teaching kids to stop using trash cans altogether. Through the District’s “Green Gloves” program, students are carefully separating their trash and turning their waste into compost. About half the schools in the District are participating, and as a result, Oakland schools are diverting more than 41 percent of solid waste from landfills. But it doesn’t stop there. The composted material is then returned to schools to be used for school gardens, effectively closing the loop!

Reset applauds innovative school programs that extend beyond the basic curriculum. Green Gloves not only reduces waste, but it helps plant the seeds for a lasting Bay Area legacy of living green. It empowers future generations to be environmentally conscious, and shows them how working together can help clean up our cities and neighborhoods. Whether we can encourage more San Franciscans to go solar or track green businesses sprouting up around the city, Reset will continue to look for ways to reaffirm our commitment to cleaner streets and a better city environment.