Did you know?

In average, the U.S. recycles or composts just 34% of its waste, so it doesn’t end up in landfill, according to the EPA.

For New York it’s about 21% and for Chicago only 10%.

However, San Francisco has managed to compost or recycle about 80% of its waste (1.5 million tons per year), keeping it away from landfill.

In 2009, San Francisco made recycling and composting a requirement for all businesses and residences with the nation’s first mandatory composting law. San Francisco also banned environmentally hazardous items like checkout bags and Styrofoam.

To encourage behavior change, San Francisco initially set trash collection rates much higher than recycling and composting rates. Businesses are also charged according to the volume of waste they present.

Encourage your city to adopt similar measures to reduce waste going to landfill and encourage people to compost and recycle more. Vote and make your voice count by choosing candidates that care about the environment! Easy! 😉

Source: CNBC, EPA