San Fran: Part Two

More of the growing and glowing list of San Fransico’s green initiatives:

San Fran runs its 385 refuse and recycling fleet on alternative fuel (either bio-diesel or liquefied natural gas) reducing greenhouse emissions 5,400 tons each year. It plans to convert all city-owned diesel vehicles to bio-diesel by December this year.

Mayor Gavin Newsom has also pledged to convert 100 percent of San Francisco’s taxi fleet to hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles by 2011 while the Municipal Transportation Agency is planning to become 100 percent emission free by 2020. Currently San Francisco contains the  third largest hybrid bus fleet in the U.S.

Last year San Francisco became the first U.S. city to certify greenhouse emissions (GHG), earning the distinction of Climate Action Leader™ with the California Climate Action
Registry.

Trees are popping up everywhere as more than 16,000 trees have been planted since 2004 when Mayor Gavin Newsom pledged that 25,000 trees would be planted at around 5,000 per year.

No wonder this city has been named one of the top 10 “green cities” in the U.S. by The Green Guide and a host of other environmental awards has been heaped on it. It is certain to be great for business and shows us that a city can make a difference.