Even before a bunch of bananas reaches a food bank, growing them has already contributed significantly to climate change. That’s why the focus for The City is shifting to trickier issues, like reducing overall waste generation — including compost — by 15%.
Every morning, before The City blinks to life, the engine that powers San Francisco’s produce market has already switched into gear.
That’s why this bustling marketplace has become critical to The City’s food recovery program. Of the 20 million pounds of food that San Francisco recovers annually, over 1 million is being saved here and redistributed to residents in need, thanks in large part to Carolyn Lasar, the market’s food recovery coordinator. The City wants to add 7 million pounds to that figure in the coming years as part of its climate goals.
Landfills represent California’s third-largest source of methane, a greenhouse gas more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere. By diverting food scraps and yard trimmings to compost programs, the state aims to reduce emissions and eliminate air pollutants, like PM 2.5, which contributes to health conditions like asthma.
But it's become clear that composting alone will not solve the problem. Even before a breast of chicken or a bunch of bananas reaches a compost bin or food bank, growing that food has already contributed significantly to climate change — responsible for about 35% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent study.
The Department of the Environment has already been working to meet the regulations outlined in SB1383 through a pilot program called Kitchen Zero SF, which partners with tech companies like Replate to track food donations and schedule one-time or recurring food pickups and deliveries. Since its establishment in 2019, the Department has recovered and redistributed over 3 million pounds of food, equivalent to about 2.7 million meals, noted Sheehan. “I think it shows a lot of promise,” he said.
To address this, the SF Market partners with as many community groups as possible. Whether that means getting fresh produce to specific communities or food banks or partnering with organizations that can turn fresh produce into hot meals or preserve food through freezing, “the success of the work comes down to the relationships,” said Draper-Zivetz.
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