When I lived in San Francisco, I often overheard visitors say the darnedest things. “We have to see Alcatraz! And Ghirardelli Square!” Ugh. Seriously? Guys, you’re missing out: San Francisco is the capital of urban hiking.

I get it. With the trails of Marin and Pacifica just a short drive away, why bother hiking in a city? And just what is “urban hiking,” anyway? For those of us who habitually and deliberately plan travel, as well as a general lifestyle, around being car-free (guilty), it’s imperative to find a way to experience nature without driving to it.

Luckily, the hills, parks and even sidewalks of San Francisco provide ample opportunity for just that. One gluteal-busting walk from the Ferry Building to Ocean Beach shows that the word “hike” may even be an understatement within the city limits; this so-called walk is a bonafide butt and core workout. Luckily, the views, as well as the delicious food in which one feels justified to indulge afterward, more than make up for the scaling involved. In fact, one in-person look at these views, and urban hiking becomes one of the best reasons to visit San Francisco.

1. Filbert Steps, Telegraph Hill

Before you get there: If you find yourself in this part of town on a Saturday, be sure to fuel up at the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market. Our picks are the chilaquiles from Primavera Tamales.

2. Jones Street & Green Street, Russian Hill

Where to go from here: Continue on Green Street toward Pacific Heights for more great views, or walk down the hill toward the Marina for great shopping and restaurants.

3. Alta Plaza Park, Pacific Heights

What to do, now that you’re here: Go early, and quietly sip on your coffee (stop at Jane on Fillmore on your way over), while you watch the dogs play in the off-leash park.

4. Sutro Heights Park, Sea Cliff

They call it “Land’s End” for a reason. Breathe deep, and give thanks.

Say hey to Amanda on Twitter or Instagram

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Top photo: Andrew Moore

Summit photos: Amanda Zantal-Wiener

The post 4 Views That Prove Urban Hiking is the Best Part of San Francisco appeared first on EcoSalon.

San Francisco has passed landmark legislation that could help to save the whales and dolphins in the Bay Area.

“That the City and County of San Francisco supports the free and safe passage of all whales and dolphins in our coastal waters, including the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Bay, and its estuaries[…]Be it further resolved that every whale and dolphin has the right to be free of captivity, and to remain unrestricted in their natural environment.”

That’s the official word out of the city last week, when it passed the Cetacean Free and Safe Passage resolution, which was backed by Supervisor Scott Wiener and sponsored by the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute. Hundreds of high school students also supported the measure to save the whales and dolphins by ensuring their inherent freedoms.

According to Laura Bridgeman, Campaign & Communication Specialist with the International Marine Mammal Project, “The significance of stating that cetaceans have the right to be free and to not be held in captivity cannot be understated, as it reflects a growing understanding that we humans ought to begin including other species into our calculations of what is fair and morally right,” she wrote in the Ecologist. “At a time when nonhumans are still considered property, any statements indicating their right not be considered so is profound.”

Whale and dolphin rights have been highlighted in recent films including “Blackfish” and “The Cove.”

SeaWorld in particular has come under attack for its longstanding practice of keeping whales in captivity, and allegations that it routinely drugs its whales to keep them complacent.

“It might be hard to believe that granting cetaceans the right to their freedom will improve our human lives,” writes Bridgeman, but, she says, “by attempting to create a more just world for those who have arguably suffered just as much as any human, we indeed help ourselves.”

India already recognizes dolphins as nonhuman persons, and if any part of this country can influence us towards a new understanding on a rights issue, it’s certainly the Bay Area. Hopefully the trend continues around the U.S.’s coastal cities.

Whales and dolphins were not available for comment as they were out swimming freely in Bay Area waters.

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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Image: JamieW

The post San Francisco to Save the Whales and Dolphins With Radical Legislation appeared first on EcoSalon.

‘Quiet Time’ sounds like disciplinary tool for toddlers, but several San Francisco schools prove that daily meditation can make a world of difference for teenagers as well.

Visitacion Valley Middle School deals with issues common to many inner-city educational institutions: gang activity and shootings are common in the area, and students suffered poverty, unrest, lack of support, and the behavioral issues that come with the territory. School officials tried all the usual tricks to combat truancy, slumping grades, and disrespect for teachers and property, but to no avail. Then, in 2007, they tried something different.

VVMS became the first school in America to implement the Quiet Time program. Launched by the David Lynch Foundation, Quiet Time uses daily meditation to help students improve academic performance while reducing stress and violence in the school environment.

Through this daily meditation program, students and teachers participate in two 15 minute sessions of Transcendental Meditation each day. It’s a ‘quiet time’ during which they simply sit with eyes closed, reflecting on themselves and their day. It does not involve any religion, philosophy, or change in lifestyle. And it’s been a smashing success.

“In the first year of Quiet Time, the number of suspensions [at VVMS] fell by 45 percent,” reports SF Gate. “Within four years, the suspension rate was among the lowest in the city. Daily attendance rates climbed to 98 percent, well above the citywide average. Grade point averages improved markedly.”

No fancy educational consultants. No threats of punishment or bargaining for academic performance. Just daily meditation–giving kids who have very loud, chaotic lives the chance to be quiet and reflective–and the level of stress reduction was palpable. “…in the annual California Healthy Kids Survey, these middle school youngsters recorded the highest happiness levels in San Francisco,” continues SF Gate.

In the years since, three other schools in the San Francisco Bay area have adopted Quiet Time. This daily meditation practice has resulted in student reports of significantly less stress and depression, and greater self-esteem. When compared with schools not participating in the daily meditation program, students have demonstrated rapidly accelerating English and math skills, while teachers report they’re less emotionally exhausted and more resilient. Similar achievements have been reported by school systems in other states as well.

Would your child’s education benefit from daily meditation? Share your thoughts on this program in the comments.

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Image: David Lynch and Russell Brand meditate with students during Quiet Time via delightmakers

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San Franciscans can now recycle their textiles and old apparel at local Levi Strauss’ stores.

On January 13, 2014 the San Francisco Department of the Environment announced a new strategy toward making the California city the “greenest” in North America – a zero waste textile initiative. The Progress with Less campaign is a collaboration between the city, I:CO, San Francisco native Levi Strauss & Co. and several other brands whereby city residents can recycle their unwanted textiles and goods knowing that they will be put to good use.

Since last week, shoppers have been able to drop off their unwanted clothes at designated boxes in three Levi’s stores in San Francisco, from where they are collected and put to new use by I:CO, a global textile recycling system. Any brand of clothing can be deposited in the boxes, which will hopefully spread to other stores in the city if this pilot campaign is successful (which we hope it will be!)

San Francisco is the nation’s leading city when it comes to waste reduction, with an 80 percent landfill waste diversion rate. However, textiles are still one of the top 3 items still sent to landfill, and the city’s annual textile waste comes to about 20,000 tons – that’s a whopping 4,587 EVERY HOUR. Shocking, but true, and doesn’t even compare to the 39 million pounds that are sent to landfill globally every year.

So, taking steps toward changing our product use and discard habits can have an immense effect on the environment, and provides an entirely new and creative market for re-using our old goods. Levi’s has been at the forefront of recycling textiles in innovative ways, for example having insulated their San Francisco headquarters with 25,500 pairs of discarded jeans. Through the Progress with Less campaign, the California city, Levi’s and all the other brands involved hope to inspire other metropolis’ and clothing labels around the world to create schemes that make recycling easy for consumers, and turn waste into a new and exciting resource.

Images: Levi Strauss & Co.

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The post Levi’s and San Francisco Partner Up in Groundbreaking Textile Recycling Program appeared first on EcoSalon.

A San Francisco official has proposed a ban on bottled water that would be one of the strictest in the nation.

When’s the last time you attended a sporting event, concert, or parade that didn’t have bottled water for sale? If San Francisco Supervisor David Chiu is successful, this could soon describe every event held on public property in his city.

Chiu recently proposed a strict ban on bottled water sales in San Francisco. The legislation would “gradually phase in a ban on the sale of bottled water of 21 fluid ounces or less on all city properties with leases signed after 2014 and at concerts, large events, parks and food trucks,” reports the Huffington Post.

Bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste each year. According to The Water Project, plastic water bottles take more than 1,000 years to bio-degrade and if incinerated, produce toxic fumes.

“Given our access to incredibly healthy clean and tasty Hetch Hetchy water, which is some of the highest quality municipal tap water in the country, it just doesn’t make sense for us to have this addiction to plastic water bottles,” Chiu told the San Francisco Examiner.

At first, the ban would apply only to sites that already have alternative water sources, such as drinking fountains, eventually extending to all events on San Francisco property. By 2016 the ban would also apply to outside vendors as well, explains The New American.

Although it would be the most aggressive, the San Francisco bottled water ban wouldn’t be America’s first. In January 2013, Concord, Mass., became the first U.S. community to outlaw single-serving plastic water bottles. Although significant, the Concord law carries only a $50 fine for stores that violate the ban (and there is an exemption for emergencies).

The proposed San Francisco ban would start October 2014 for new leases, including renewals, and permits for vendors in public parks, including mobile food trucks, reports NACS Online. By 2016, no one would have license to sell or give out water bottles at events held outdoors on public property.

As one might expect, the International Bottled Water Association is not pleased with the idea of a San Francisco bottled water ban. The IBWA claims that banning bottled water will have a negative effect on public health, stating: “Efforts to eliminate or reduce access to  bottled water will force consumers  to choose less healthy drink options that have more packaging, more additives (e.g., sugar, caffeine), and greater environmental impacts than bottled water.”

What do you think? Does the San Francisco bottled water ban infringe on consumer rights? Or is it a necessary policy in a world that’s literally swimming in plastic waste? Tell us in the comments.

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Image: stevendepolo

The post Will San Francisco Become America’s First City Without Bottled Water? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Can Eco-Districts help a major city grow sustainably while conserving energy resources? San Francisco’s about to find out.

San Francisco already has a lot of distinct neighborhoods–Chinatown, the Castro, Haight-Ashbury. Each has its own distinct personality, type of resident, and geographical area. These fascinating neighborhoods formed organically over time, building a strong sense of community that’s almost like tiny cities within a city.

Now, the City of San Francisco wants to manufacture a new kind of district in hopes of reducing water consumption and waste, and enhancing community-scale energy resources. They will, unsurprisingly, be called Ec0-Districts, and if successful, they could help San Francisco continue to grow without increasing its negative environmental impact.

“To aid in the fulfillment of these goals, the program is implementing a tool called Eco-Districts – a community of property owners, businesses and residents within a neighborhood that collaborate to develop and initiate sustainable development projects in their area,” reports ArchDaily. “Using a set of performance metrics, neighborhoods can shape their projects with custom strategies for their community.”

So what exactly will these Eco-Districts look like? Well according to the SF Planning Department, there will be four different types of Eco-District, and true to form, they all have creative names.

The Blank Slate

In a Blank Slate district, most of the land is undeveloped and typically owned by a single property owner. With very little existing development to work around, this type of district enables “horizontal infrastructure development to be implemented in advance of vertical development to help optimize Eco-District goals.”

The Patchwork Quilt

In a Quilt District, there is both undeveloped, underdeveloped, and developed land, owned by different property owners implementing development projects under different time frames. This presents more of a challenge than the Blank Slate. The goal with a Quilt is to align “development time frames to maximize opportunities to meet environmental goals.” The community will be encouraged “to build on its existing character and to integrate the physical qualities of the area as part of its character.” (San Francisco’s Central Corridor is an example of this type of Eco-District in action.)

The Strengthened Neighborhood

This is one of the most exciting types of Eco-Districts, because it’s a neighborhood that’s already at capacity, but perhaps not operating at optimal efficiency with regards to energy resources. In this district, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development’s Invest in Neighborhoods Initiative, would use strategies of “tactical urbanism” to “bolster distinctive character and support eco-friendly behavior.”

The Industrial Network

Cities can’t be all parks and courtyards. In every metropolis, there is a section dedicated to industrial purposes, where power is made, and where distribution and repair of all types of services for energy resources occurs. Aligning these industries so that their operating and distribution systems can work more efficiently is the primary focus of the Industrial Eco-District.

In each of these neighborhoods, similar tactics to increase sustainability will be deployed, all in line with the waste-reduction goals of the city and state. Coordinated neighborhoods could take advantage of group purchasing of solar power at lower rates, or perhaps even a community-shared solar installation.

“An eco-district could also set up an efficient district energy system, which produces steam, heated water and chilled water at a central plant and distributes the energy to multiple connected buildings, so they do not need to have their own boilers or chillers,” writes Sustainable Development Policy Director Laura Tam. “An eco-district organization could facilitate water reuse between properties, too, such as harvesting rainwater from multiple properties to irrigate a neighborhood park or street landscaping.”

The possibilities, when communities are organized and invited to participate in their own planning process, are endless. Learn more about how other cities–Austin, Boston and Seattle–have already put Eco-Districts to work at ecodistricts.org.

Images: Wikimedia Commons, Jihee Chung, SWA Group

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Finally, plastic bags are so over.

Residents all over the San Francisco Bay area are stepping up and bringing their own reusable bags, elected officials around the country (and the world) are waking up to the problem of plastic pollution in our communities and waterways. And they’re passing comprehensive bans on single use plastic shopping bags. The only group that doesn’t get that plastic bags are done is the plastics industry.

Plastics industry lobbyists continue to pour millions of dollars into their anti-ban lobbying efforts, but smart communities aren’t buying their arguments. The facts speak for themselves and the industry’s fear tactics no longer scare us.

Anti-Litter Campaigns Don’t Work

The only way to eliminate the harm that plastic bags do to the environment is to ban them. The very characteristic that makes them convenient and cheap (their weight) ensures that they blow into our storm drains, across highways, into trees, and wash up on the banks of our local waterways. Plastic bags are consistently one of the most common litter items collected during creek and shoreline cleanups because they are extremely difficult to manage. No amount of public education will change that. According to a local solid waste professional, plastic bags are known in the industry as “Landfill Angels,” as they descend upon our earth and sea by the millions.

Plastic Bags Kill Wildlife

Do plastic bags comprise a large portion of weight or volume of the total litter in our creeks? No. But don’t be fooled – plastic bags have a disproportionate impact on the environment despite their innocuous appearance. They entangle wildlife, kill birds and animals that mistake the plastic bags for food, and suffocate our wetland habitat that, ironically, we depend on to naturally filter pollutants out of our creeks before they flow into the Bay.

Plastic Bag Recycling is a Joke

The plastic industry has offered its version of a solution – recycling.  Although Save The Bay supports recycling as a step toward creating “zero waste” communities, recycling is not a solution for litter. And, frankly, recycling plastic bags is a joke. Ask any Bay Area recycler. Recycled plastic bag film is not a hot commodity on the market, meaning recyclers lose money. If you place a plastic bag in a recycling bin in the Bay Area, it will end up in the landfill. Period.

Reusable Bags Don’t Kill People

The latest attempt by the plastics industry to generate panic is to convince us all that reusable bags are hotbeds of bacterial contamination. I’m personally insulted by the notion that I don’t know how to keep my food clean. That aside, the “studies” making these assertions fail to show any connection between increased use of reusable bags and food poisoning.  Furthermore, they were torn to shreds by people who actually have expertise in these areas, including San Francisco’s Department of Public Health. Were these studies peer reviewed? No. Did they consult an epidemiologist to make sure they were using sound science to draw their conclusions? No. Do they hold water? Absolutely not.

The story of plastic bags is in its final chapter. Our parents and grandparents clearly remember the days – not long ago – when these and other single-use plastic products were not commonplace. They are unnecessary, unsustainable, and unpleasant – three strong reasons to continue on the path toward plastic bag-free communities. And we will continue, despite the plastic industry’s last-ditch efforts.

About Allison Chan, Save The Bay’s Clean Bay Campaign Manager
Allison works on Save The Bay’s pollution prevention program, the Clean Bay Project, which focuses on helping cities pass bans on commonly littered products such as plastic bags and Styrofoam take-out containers. When she’s not attending city council meetings or researching plastic pollution, Allison loves to try new restaurants, hike, and seek sunny spots in San Francisco.

Image: jonathan.youngblood

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A magazine that’s paying attention to what’s good in the world.

The current state of global affairs is overwhelming, and if traditional news and media had their way, we would be convinced that we live in a dismal and dangerous world. Fortunately there are some outlets that are pushing back against the norm. The Intelligent Optimist is one of them.

You might know The Intelligent Optimist under its former name: Ode magazine. Not just a magazine, it’s a community of people who believe that more is going right than wrong in the world.

As Jurriaan Kamp, Editor-in-Chief, puts it:

Intelligent optimism is a way of life. In fact, it is the way of life until we lose it. Many of us do. Somewhere, at some particular point in time, our disappointments and failures become too overwhelming, and we give up. Fear and insecurity arise, and we start surrendering to pessimism. Some will argue that it is wise to be realistic, and they see the optimist as unrealistic. I argue that optimism—intelligent, not mindless, optimism—is the only realistic strategy for life.

With the new name comes a launch party, and if you are in the San Francisco area, you will be sure to want to put it on your calendar.

WHAT: The Intelligent Optimist Launch Party

Headlining the event will be one of the most sought-after speakers in the world, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Benjamin Zander, whose TED talk has attracted almost 3 million viewers. Zander has given the keynote address at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, and his latest recording, with London’s Philharmonic Orchestra, was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Zander is also the co-author of The Art of Possibility, hailed as a landmark work on the triumph of human creativity’s potential. “To be an intelligent optimist, you have to master the art of possibility,” he says. But what is the art of possibility? Zander’s answer will have audience members alternately rolling in the aisles and dabbing their eyes.

WHERE: Fort Mason Center

WHEN: Wednesday September 26, 2012, 7-8:30 pm (you can also catch the event live on webcast)

WHY: Because there’s a lot of good going on in the world, and it’s time we started paying attention to it.

You can score a free digital copy of the first digital issue of The Intelligent Optimist here.

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With a little elbow grease, an empty asphalt rectangle can become a restful haven.

The concept of using empty metered parking spaces as temporary public parks isn’t precisely new. The first annual Park(ing) Day took place in 2005, when San Francisco design studio Rebar paid for two hours of time at a metered parking space, rolled out some sod, a bench and a tree, and rolled it all back up when the time expired. It was designed as an experiment in public needs. Why devote so much space and money to storing private vehicles that remain empty for the majority of the day? Why not put a tree there?

Since the inaugural event, the idea of transforming the nooks and crannies of urban life into green spaces has taken hold in a big way. San Francisco’s “parklets”—now permitted, and proliferating rapidly—have been lauded and echoed in cities all over the world, as far away as Adelaide, Australia. But perhaps their biggest advocates aren’t the business owners that sponsor them, or the pedestrians that enjoy them. It’s the local residents that pitch in their time and effort to give their neighborhood something truly unique.

Which isn’t to say that installing parklets has been smooth sailing from the start. Like most civic-minded projects, early parklets were soundly criticized. The original ones weren’t very aesthetically pleasing, offering little more beyond bushes and cafe seating and attracted indigents during the day and drunk partiers at night. They also weren’t wheelchair-accessible.

But despite these minor hiccups, the program has proven incredibly successful. 31 parklets have been installed so far, with another 15 going through the permit process, and the creative possibilities seem endless. What if a series of parklets led a path through a neighborhood? What if parklets went all the way around the block? More city dwellers would get the chance to wield a shovel and cultivate their own little sliver of green in a sea of concrete and asphalt, and even more people would get to enjoy them. What parking space can compete with that?

Image: mark.hogan.

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EcoSalon’s West Coast Fashion Editor Rowena Ritchie shows us how a few key sustainable buys dresses up her $1 thrift store find jumpsuit and takes it from loungy to art deco-inspired 70s glamour.

Ever wondered how our editors channel this season’s trends to complement the favorite pieces in their own wardrobes? Well, look no further. Rowena Ritchie is EcoSalon’s West Coast Fashion Editor and her style is best described as “The Art of the Layer.” It’s starts with sleek basics like skinny pants and fitted tees in matching shades and builds from there. It’s an easy approach that allows her to accessorize with the vintage bits and bobs she’s collected for years – plus it suits the highly changeable San Francisco weather. “When I found this black crepe de chine jumpsuit in the $1 bin at my local thrift store, I knew it was a keeper,” she says. ” I’m drawn to the color black like a vampire to blood and despite my best efforts to lighten up, I’m invariably dressed head-to-toe in it. ”

While this jumpsuit is perfect for lounging, with a few key sustainable buys it will take her from day to night all year round.

Organic by John Patrick Perforated Cardigan Sweater
“I love the perforated detail, which reminds me of snappy golf wear from the 1930s.” It’s also the perfect way to channel summer’s big sportswear trend and still keep the look distinctly feminine. “100% merino wool never lets me down. It lasts forever and never pills or pulls.” It’s made in the USA, and the lemon yellow color is a great way to break away from black.
$280, Beklina

Celeste Printed Silk Peplum Bustier by CrOP by David Peck
“This top is a total splurge, but how cool would this be layered over my jumpsuit?” The peplum is also one of summer’s hottest silhouettes. Throw on some strappy heels and red lipstick and you’ve got a screen siren look with a modern edge.
$385, CrOp by David Peck 

Rachel Comey Macrame Belt
“This belt by Rachel Comey adds flattering definition to the waist and a relaxed 70s feel.” Hand knotted natural cotton macrame with leather worked ends. Belted around around the cardigan, it creates a look that’s smart and comfy at the same time. This is a good piece to keep an eye out for at thrift shops or, if you are the crafty sort, make yourself.
$240, Beklina

Alkemie Phoenix Fan Necklace 
“This Egyptian style Phoenix fan necklace is killer. I’m a big fan of the style of the 30s and 70s and all roads seem to return back to the decorative motifs of those times.” Classically inspired jewelry is definitely making a big comeback, and that one statement piece can really take an outfit to the next level. “The Phoenix is also a symbol of rebirth and the perseverance to rise out of challenging situations, I like that idea.” Handmade in Los Angeles, CA, from 100% reclaimed metal.
$209, Alkemie

Alexandre Herchcovitch X Melissa Patent Troupe Wedge Brogue
“Ever since my trip to Sao Paulo last year, I’ve started a bit of a collection of Melissa‘s rubber shoes. The Brazilian brand’s designer collaborations, like this one with Alexandre Herchcovitch are truly inspired. “They’re great for incorporating a silly pop edge to an otherwise moody look – they’re so wrong that they’re right, If you know what I mean.” We do.
$96.11, Asos 

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