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Q&A With the City’s Environmental Director
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The City and County of San Francisco is fortunate to have such a vibrant Department of the Environment. Cole Hardware has worked closely with a number of areas within the department and we value the relationships we have built through our quest to become a certified green business. We are always happy to spread the word about the great programs available to both City residents and businesses and appreciate the guidance we receive in our journey to further green Cole Hardware. The Hardware Hotline sat down with Jared Blumenfeld, the Director of the Department of the Environment, to get some insight into this impressive arm of our City’s government.
Q: How did you end up in San Francisco?
A: After graduating from UC Berkeley’s Boalt’s School of Law, I practiced environmental law with the Sierra Club Legal Defense, Cambridge University, the Natural Resources Defense Council; and most recently in Cape Cod with the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Randy Hayes, the founder of Rain Forest Action Network, then asked me to come out to San Francisco to help run the Department of the Environment.
Q: How does San Francisco rank among other large cities with regards to the environmental movement?
A: San Francisco is usually ranked #1 or #2, vying with Portland for the top spot in national polls. Seattle, Santa Monica and Austin often round out the top five.
Q: Do you send people who are in search of a sustainable lifestyle to shop at Cole Hardware?
A: I often refer people to your stores for earth friendly home cleaning products, Biobags and rechargeable batteries. If everyone adopted a bring-your-own-bag philosophy for all their shopping ... this would be a huge step. Also, Cole Hardware
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| Jared Blumenfeld, San Francisco Department of the Environment Director |
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| Jared awarding Green Certification to Veronica of our Mission Street Store |
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customers can rent large items instead of buying them, such as rug cleaners and ladders. They can also walk, bike or take Muni to their next Cole Hardware experience.
Q: Has the ban on plastic bags at grocery stores been successful? Will this program expand to incorporate all businesses eventually?
A. The program has been incredibly successful as people realize that they can live without plastic bags. Twenty-nine cities have followed our lead and China will begin plastic bag restrictions. Pharmacies located in the City were recently required to comply and eventually the ban will expand.
Q: Right now it is voluntary for City residents to have a green compost bin. Do you think at some point SF will need to make it mandatory for all residents if we are to reach 100% waste diversion?
A: Yes. Actually recycling in general is voluntary at this point. The Mayor is introducing legislation is that will require composting and recycling from all San Francisco residents, businesses and even visitors ...
Q: Recently SF blue recycling bins started accepting all hard plastics. How is your department spreading the word about this?
A: “We’ve been focused up until this point on what cannot be put in the blue carts, but will begin emphasizing that nearly everything can now be recycled. Plastic bags and Styrofoam are still not accepted.”
Q: How many officially green certified businesses does San Francisco now have? Why is it important for more businesses to sign on?
A: “We have over 100 certified businesses with 350 additional businesses in the certification process. Our flagship program enforces strict standards, not just in the area of recycling. The public wants clear signals of what is green and what businesses they can support in this area. Businesses can highlight their green credentials and clean up their operations at the same time.”
Q: Would it be feasible for the City to consider a ban or tax on bottled water? Would you support this idea?
A: Over 1 billion plastic bottles end up in landfill in California alone. The City has stopped purchasing and our next step is to discourage the use ... We’re not ready for a tax, but we need to look at other creative ways to discourage plastic bottle use.
Q: What new programs can we look forward to from the Department of the Environment?
A: A lot of exciting programs. Our ongoing energy efficiency program, Energy Watch, runs through the end of the year; We’ve launched www.sfsolarmap.org for anyone to get the square footage of their rooftop if they’re interested in installing solar panels. Our school food composting program, Food to Flowers, ... would be a great program to partner somehow with Cole Hardware; Two major green projects – Treasure Island and the Hunter’s Point Shipyard – will be launched; Slow Food Nation takes place ... August 29-September 1 and in July we will be planting a Victory Garden in Civic Center Plaza; We’re working on a 30 year vision and master plan for Ocean Beach ... Lastly we’ll be working on marrying green collar jobs - such as bicycle repair and the solar energy field - with City programs and green businesses.
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- Hardware Hotline August, 2008
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