San Francisco is a vibrant, forward-thinking city known for its iconic landmarks, diverse culture, tech innovation, and strong commitment to sustainability and social progress.
Ease of low waste
Sustainability Efforts
8 / 10
Walking Score
9 / 10
Transit Availability
8 / 10
The Good
Numerous Sustainability / Environmental programs
Extensive Composting system
Majority of single-use tableware is compostable
Needs Improvement
Too much trash on sidewalks that ultimately will pollute the bay, mostly caused by an affordable housing crisis and drug use problems
A grocery store that is owned by the workers there, providing local, organic produce with a huge selection of bulk items. Get 5¢ off each BYO container you use!
Ah, San Francisco! One of the most controversial cities in America, and probably doomed (If you watch Fox News that is). Granted, some of it can be understandable. But most of what you hear about how terrible SF is are completely overblown. The city does have extreme affordable housing crisis (Only 1 in 9 people who work in SF actually live there), which also highlights wealth disparity. You have the high paying tech jobs, startups, venture capitlists paving new innovations daily. Yet at the same time, homeless and drug problems are raging through the bay. That being said, San Francisco is a beautiful city with a great foundation on sustainability programs and innovation.
It's easy to walk (If you have good cardio)
Because of the mild weather of SF, it's very nice to walk whichever part of town you're in. The joke about cardio is you may encounter a sudden incline, the hilly valleys of SF are one of the most unique aspects of the cities. You may encounter some homeless or drug users laying on the street, which is a sad and uncomfortable sight to see. They generally mean no harm, and I've never felt unsafe walking in San Francisco.
Enjoy nature? Plenty of options that don't require to drive
For a relaxing half-day trip, Muir Woods National Park is a great option. There are many affordable guided tours available—I joined an afternoon one and found the guide to be excellent. That said, I personally felt the time spent in the woods (about 1.5 hours) was a bit short.
Pro Tip: Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, public transportation to Muir Woods is just $3! You can catch an early bus and explore at your own pace.
It's also possible to book a tour to Yosemite! Although a bit on the expensive, which we'll 100% do in the future! Update: It's possible to take public transportation to Yosemite! It's on the "must visit" list for next time in the bay area!
SF Sustainability Programs
Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF)
Do you wonder why some areas have more trees? This is a result of disinvestment. FUF is a non-profit solving this through "Tree Equity" and climate justice. You can even volunteer to help plant when visiting!
California Green Business Certification
Look for this sticker! It means the business meets specific environmental standards—you know you're supporting a company reducing its impact.
Bay Area Bring your own Cup
Pretty self-explanatory! Check out the BYOC map here. Bonus: Petaluma Reusable Cup Project was a 2024 pilot—we hope to see it in SF soon!
SFO is actually pretty awesome
Yeah, yeah, airports.. but SFO is striving to become a "Zero" airport, as part of its ambitious "Triple Zero" initiative: aiming for zero waste, zero net energy, and zero carbon emissions. Learn more about their sustainable program, it's pretty neat.
Ongoing for 3 Years
San Francisco Climate Week
A vibrant, community-driven event that has rapidly become one of the largest climate gatherings in the U.S. Launched in 2023, the 2025 event (April 19–27) is expected to draw 25,000 participants.
What's cool is its decentralized format—grassroots groups to tech companies host events across the Bay Area covering energy, policy, and AI. It was a great week of events and I highly recommend it to anyone who cares about the environment to attend!
Zero Waste Shopping
Missing some items? Buy them waste free!
San Francisco
Rainbow Grocery
Bring your produce mesh bags and containers! You can pretty much get almost everything via bulk or package-free produce, I usually bring a combination of glass containers and mesh produce bags.
Hop on public transit for an easy, low-waste way to get around
Ditch the car
Public transportation is great (for US standards) Get the clipper card to ride all bay area public transportations, the great part being no need to buy any plastic! Simply download the app and tap your phone whenever getting on the BART or bus, Caltrain etc. It's also easy to top up with Apple Pay / Google Pay, so don't bother getting a physical card!
There are around 9 different transportation services (The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) maintains a list of 27 Bay Area Transit Operators.) So it can sometimes be a bit confusing. If you're in SF, below are a couple you'll most likely encounter:
BART: Bay Area Rapid Transit
Great option to head to East / Bay and Oakland, South SF, SFO airport. You have to tap entering / exiting the station.
MUNI: San Francisco Municipal Railway
The first ever public owned transit in the United States (est 1906). Tap on when you board, no need when debark. You get 1.5hr of free transfer within the Muni system! So if you transfer, you don't have to tap on (But recommend you still do, you won't get charged twice.) This is the same for either their Bus or Light rail.
The Cable cars are also run by MUNI, but charged differently than the normal fare. It's more for the tourist experience, so if you want to try go for it!
Golden Gate Transit
Tap on when you board and debark! Otherwise you'll be charged the full price of the route. (You'll get a refund when you tap off)
Caltrain
Tap on and off, The kiosks are on the platform. Do it before you board! You can't pay on the train, same as GGT, remember to tap off otherwise you'll get charged the full route.
Amtrak
If you plan to go to Davis or Sacramento, Amtrak from Oakland is a good choice. Simply purchase a ticket from the Amtrak app.
Food options in San Francisco
Finding options that are great for taste buds and the planet
There are so many eats in SF! We'll focus mostly on local, vegetarian, plant-based here!
One interesting note about San Francisco. They have very strict rules on chain based restaurants opening new stores, so that is one of the reason why you don't see so many big chain stores here in SF! Take advantage of that and explore all the small chain or locally owned eateries.
Farmer's Markets
Most of San Francisco’s farmers' markets are worth checking out, each with its own charm. If you're after affordable, high-quality produce, the Civic Center Farmers' Market is a great choice (especially for Asian veggies!). Plenty of fresh options without the hefty price tag.
A more low-key but lovely option is the Fort Mason Farmers' Market—smaller, but with a great local vibe and solid variety that I personally enjoy. You can easily walk over to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park or visit the Ghirardelli Square (tourist alert!) afterwards. Even better? Head up to Russian Hills for lunch, plenty of great options there.
Of course, the most well-known (and yes, a bit touristy) is the Ferry Building Farmers' Market. It's popular for a reason though—still a solid spot, where you can also visit the Ferry building and stroll to Pier 39 (tourist alert 2!)
Restaurants
Here are some nice vegetarian / plant-based options that we enjoy!
Golden Era: Incredible plant-based Pho. Very affordable for SF.
Rad Radish: Great for casual, delicious plant-based pasta.
Wildseed: Mid-high range, but a 100% plant-based masterpiece.
More on the mid-high price range, but 100% worth the visit! Anyone have more recommendations? Let us know!
Fast Food
Fast food? We get it, not exactly a sustainability gold star. But hey, you're in San Francisco, and trying a burger in the U.S. is basically a cultural experience, right? 🍔
If you're craving a classic bite, Shake Shack is a solid option. (though you’ll find them all over the U.S.) I like their Shroom Burger (Fried Portabella with cheese) slightly more than the Veggie Shack, but both are good.
But for a more Cali vibe, check out Super Duper Burgers,
Eco WinSuper Duper Burgers: They use actual glass cups for soda if you dine in and all packaging is compostable.
California Green Business Certification
