Abstract
In 2012, the City of San Francisco reached an 80% municipal solid waste diversion rate. San Francisco 's achievement is remarkable; it has been far more successful at waste diversion than any other US city. In this paper, I ask how San Francisco has been able to achieve 80% diversion, and specifically how the city and the service provider, Recology, have engaged resident participation in waste management operations.
Drawn from interviews and extensive document review, I find that San Francisco benefits from some characteristics intrinsic to the city context, including a culture of environmental awareness, particular historical legacies, and a unique economic geography, that support the city's zero waste mission. In addition to these "intrinsic" characteristics, however, I find that the city uses a number of tools that may be more broadly applicable in other urban areas. These include a service provider whose mission and skill set aligns well with city goals; a series of incentives that include both carrots and sticks; and broad and well crafted outreach, information, and customer support. These findings indicate that while context matters, there is hope for other cities and other systems. The example of San Francisco illustrates that taking a broad-based, multi-dimensional approach, with local history and culture in mind, could lead to progress in other places and other infrastructural arenas.