Elisabeth Wieselthaler-ToellyVice President, Global PR & Media Relations415.227.2603elisabeth@sftravel.com

Laurie Armstrong GossySenior Director, Global PR & Media Relations

415.227.2615laurie@sftravel.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Green San Francisco While San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge paints the sky its iconic International Orange, the color that truly exemplifies the spirit of the City by the Bay is most certainly green.

Sustainability is at the forefront of every aspect of the San Francisco’s infrastructure and psyche. The San Francisco Bay Area ranked first in the 2019 US Cities Sustainable Development Report, which presents an overview of how cities are performing on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report was prepared with the advice and consultation of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Leadership Council members. (https://s3.amazonaws.com/sustainabledevelopment.report/2019/2019USCitiesReport.pdf)

According to the 2019 City Clean Energy Scorecard released by the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, San Francisco ranked second behind Boston. The scorecard assesses 75 large U.S. cities on their efforts to achieve a clean energy future by improving energy efficiency, scaling up renewable energy, and increasing equity in the planning and delivery of programs. Cities are assessed in the following categories: local government operations, community-wide initiatives, building policies, energy and water utilities, and transportation policies.(https://aceee.org/local-policy/city-scorecard )

In addition, the Climate Reality Project named San Francisco one of the top five sustainable cities in the world in 2017. The city is continuing to commit to the cause, thanks in part to an extensive network of private and government eco-conscious organizations, including its own local government organization SF Environment.

LEADING THE WAY (Highlights from sections below)

The Moscone Center

The Moscone Center has the highest LEED Platinum score of any new-build convention center in the world.

The center’s electricity is generated by hydropower, making it 100 percent greenhouse gas-free.  

The solar rooftop array, the largest system on a municipal building in San Francisco, offsets approximately 10% of the energy needs for the convention center.

The Moscone Center will generate fewer carbon emissions per visitor than any other major convention center in North America.

Green San Francisco Page 2

Parks & Outdoors

Every San Franciscan lives within a 10-minute walk of a park.

San Francisco is consistently rated one of the most walkable cities in the United States.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (National Park) is one of the largest national parks adjacent to a major metropolitan area. In 2018, it was the most visited national park in the nation with more than 15 million visitors. UNESCO has designated it a “biodiversity hot spot” with 19 separate ecosystems.

Golden Gate Park, with 1,017 acres, celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2020. Among its many attractions are 10 lakes and the 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Gardens with more than 7,500 varieties of plants from around the world.

The new Salesforce Park is a 5.4 acre urban oasis, four stories above downtown San Francisco. It features 12 different gardens plus free public events and activities, an amphitheater and (coming soon) a restaurant.

Attractions in the LEED

Chase Center, the new home of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors that opened in September 2019, is on track to achieve LEED Gold certification.

Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, is the first Major League Baseball park to receive LEED Platinum certification for an existing building. Park has won the MLB’s Green Glove sustainability award for 9 consecutive years from 2008-2016 and again in 2018. which recognizes the MLB Club with the highest waste diversion rate, after diverting 94 percent of all waste at AT&T Park from local landfills. The Giants, who collected nine consecutive awards between 2008 and 2016, secured its 10th Green Glove Award in 11 seasons.

The California Academy of Sciences is the world’s first LEED Double Platinum museum and the largest Double Platinum building in the world.

At the LEED Gold San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the living wall is the largest in the U.S., holding 19,442 plants of 37 different species. It is held in place by felt made from recycled plastic bottles and polyester.

Hotels

San Francisco’s hotels have a 90 percent diversion rate and work closely with Recology, the city’s waste management and recycling company, on ensuring waste streams are not contaminated.

San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the first airport in the U.S. to ban the sale of single-use plastic water bottles.

Transportation

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (MUNI) operates the largest fleet of zero emissions electric trolley buses of any transit system in the U.S. and Canada.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) are 100 percent electric with 97 percent of that power coming from zero and low-carbon sources, including solar and hydro-energy. BART emits fewer pounds of CO2 per passenger mile than any other transit system in its class.

Green San Francisco Page 3

There are now more than 600 public electric vehicle charging stations in San Francisco. The Bay Area also leads the way both cumulatively and based on population with nearly 4,000 stations.

In late 2019, three new hydrogen refueling stations for cars will open in San Francisco, and a hydrogen fuel cell commuter ferry will be operating on the Bay. The stations will be located at 551 Third St., 1201 Harrison St., and 3550 Mission St.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

San Francisco now diverts 80 percent of all waste generated in the city away from landfill, equaling about 1.5 million tons - nearly double the weight of the Golden Gate Bridge - of diverted waste.

San Francisco was the first in the nation to ban single-use plastic checkout bags in 2007. The ban was extended to all retail stores in 2012 and all grocery stores in 2013. Already, more than 75 California cities and counties have followed San Francisco’s lead. Other headline grabbing policies include banning single-use items like plastic straws and forbidding the sales of plastic water bottles at events hosted by the city.

THE BIG PICTURE

With the help of SF Environment, San Francisco is continually a leading force when it comes to proper recycling and waste disposal, green buildings, air quality, carbon emissions, transportation, and land use. A few of its groundbreaking initiatives helped shape how other cities across the country deal with their waste.

* San Francisco’s Citywide Climate Action Strategy commits the city to significantly reduce resource consumption and harmful emissions to address the challenges of climate change. The 0-80-100 Roots framework commits to zero waste by 2020, shifting 80 percent of travel to sustainable trips by 2030, moving 100 percent of energy to renewables by 2030, and supporting urban green spaces and promoting biodiversity. In April 2018, San Francisco also joined 25 other cities from around world by pledging to be net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

* In a 2017 report, though the population in San Francisco increased by 19.5 percent since 1990, citywide emissions were reduced by 28 percent from 1990 levels and more than half of all trips were made using transit, walking and bicycling.

Resources:

SF Environment: https://sfenvironment.org

Citywide Climate Action Strategy: https://sfenvironment.org/take-action-for-the-environment-080100roots

GREEN SPACES/PARKS:

Aside from all its eco-conscious infrastructure and man-made development, San Francisco is an outdoor haven. Accessibility is key. Every San Franciscan lives within a 10-minute walk from a park, compared to the national average of 54 percent. San Francisco has 471 parks, with more than 220 managed by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. A total of 20 percent of San Francisco's city land is used for parks and recreation, compared to the national median of 15 percent.

With all this access to parks and outdoor living, it’s only natural that WalletHub named San Francisco the Healthiest Place to Live in the United States in January 2020. With a combined score of 73.99, San Francisco rose above Seattle, San Diego, Portland and 170 others. The criteria included scores on health care, food, fitness and green space. The city also scored fourth for the lowest percentage of people not eating enough fruits and vegetables daily, fourth for the most healthy restaurants per capita and fifth for the highest percentage of physically active adults. https://wallethub.com/edu/healthiest-cities/31072/

There are 34 miles of trails contained within San Francisco’s Natural Areas. There are approximately 281 miles of pathways, including concrete/asphalt walkways in all parks and Golden Gate Park.

Green San Francisco Page 4

The city’s extensive network includes hiking and mountain biking trails at Land’s End and the Candlestick Point State Recreation area, among many others.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (part of the National Park Service) encompasses much of the park area, which is stretched across 86,000 acres north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge and spans 91 miles of bay and ocean shoreline. The park constitutes one of the largest national parks adjacent to a major metropolitan area and is designated by UNESCO a “biodiversity hot spot” with 19 separate ecosystems. 

The parks feature 37 distinct park sites—including Alcatraz Island, Fort Point National Historic Site, Crissy Field, Fort Mason, Ocean Beach, and Fort Funston. There are more than 130 miles of trails, over 1,400 historic structures, and 3,947 plant and animal species. In 2018, Golden Gate National Recreation Area was the highest visited national park site in the country with more than 15 million visits.

Presidio: The Presidio, a former U.S. Army airfield, is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and has 991 acres of open space, as well as extensive residential landscapes and historic gardens. Presidio Trust oversees the park area, restored buildings, and a community garden program that operates within organic standards. With its program Presidio Grown, the community gardens provide over 600 pounds of fresh organic produce, herbs and edible flowers to Presidio Trust-owned restaurants, catering and bar programs.

The Trust also owns two hotels in the Presidio, the Inn at the Presidio and the Lodge at the Presidio. Both hotels are LEED Gold certified and prioritize sustainability in their operations.

In 2020, the Presidio of San Francisco became the first park in the United States—and America’s first national park site—to earn the prestigious Green Flag Award®, which recognizes the highest standards for visitor experience and management of parks and green spaces around the world. The Presidio joins over 2,000 parks and green spaces in 15 countries that fly the Green Flag Award. Founded in 1996 in the United Kingdom, the aim of the Green Flag Award is to ensure that everyone has access to a quality green space to enable healthy lifestyles.

Crissy Field: Crissy Field, which will soon be connected to The Presidio via the Presidio Tunnels, features The Center, which serves as a green education facility consisting of classrooms, labs, and gathering spaces for youth enrolled in the Center’s camps, field trips, and programs. 

Golden Gate Park: Golden Gate Park (owned by the City of San Francisco and operated by the Department of Recreation and Parks) celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2020. It is home to 10 lakes within its 1,017 acres of land. It also harbors the 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden with more than more than 7,500 varieties of flora from across the globe. Aside from the California Academy of Sciences, it is home to the Japanese Tea Garden, de Young Museum, Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden and Conservatory of Flowers.

Angel Island State Park is an oasis for hikers and bikers. It is the largest island in the San Francisco Bay.

Salesforce Park sits atop the roof of the Salesforce Transit Center. The 5.4-acre urban park features outdoor events and programming, as well as lawns and botanical gardens.

In 2019, the 65-year-old drainage system in 2.26-acre Washington Square was replaced with weather sensing irrigation. Accessible pathways were also added. The overhaul reduces water usage by 66 percent and improve the condition of the lawn, which would previously become saturated during the rainy season.

Resources:

Lands End: https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/landsend.htm

Candlestick Point Recreation Area: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=519

Green San Francisco Page 5

Golden Gate National Recreation Area: https://www.nps.gov/goga/index.htm

Presidio Trust: https://www.presidio.gov

Green Flag Award: www.greenflagaward.org

Crissy Field: https://www.parksconservancy.org/programs/crissy-field-center

Golden Gate Park: https://goldengatepark.com

Angel Island State Park: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468

Salesforce Park: https://salesforcetransitcenter.com/salesforce-park

Washington Square: https://sfrecpark.org/destination/washington-square/

ATTRACTIONS:

Many of San Francisco’s top attractions pride themselves on sustainability, from outdoor sports venues to indoor museums.

Oracle Park:Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, received LEED Platinum Certification for EBOM (Existing Buildings, Operations and Maintenance) from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is the first Major League ballpark to receive a LEED Platinum Certification for an existing building.

Programs and measures implemented at Oracle Park to earn LEED Platinum Certification included:· Investing energy credits – Oracle Park is offsetting 50 percent of its energy use;· Implementing an ongoing commissioning plan that ensures continued operational efficiency;· Demonstrating a more than 75 percent reduction in conventional commuting trips for employees;· Instituting water efficient landscaping – resulting in a more than 50 percent reduction in water usage from improved irrigation technologysystems;· Improving water efficiency in domestic water fixtures, which include toilets;· Diverting more than 94 percent of waste from landfill through an aggressive recycling and composting program; and· Installing LED Field Lights for over 55 percent energy reduction in field lighting.

Chase Center:Chase Center, the new home of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors opened in September 2019, is on track to achieve LEED Gold certification. 

*The 18,000-seat arena is constructed with regionally sourced materials that contain recycled content. * Additionally, in order to reflect greater sunlight and prevent heat absorption, Chase Center’s light-colored roofing material has a high solar reflectance index (SRI), which reduces the heat island effect.

* Green Power will be a central source of energy for the project, where wind driven sources are reported to offset 70percent of the facility’s electrical use for two years. 

* Chase Center offers a network of public transportation options and preferred on-site parking spaces for carpools, low-emitting vehicles and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Plus, the Chase Center site offers a variety of bicycle storage spaces, including an indoor bike valet for up to 300 bicycles and a corral for over 100 additional bikes during events. San Francisco Bay Ferry also runs ferries to and from basketball games and other events.

California Academy of Sciences:

Green San Francisco Page 6

Located in Golden Gate Park, the California Academy of Sciences boasts the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest rating for its eco-friendly design and operations, making the Academy the world’s first Double Platinum museum—and the largest Double Platinum building in the world. 

The highlight is the Academy’s Living Roof, featuring solar panels and seven hills lined with 50,000 biodegradable vegetation trays made from tree sap and coconut husks. An estimated 1.7 million plants fill the trays, attracting native birds, insects, and other critters. Inside the Academy is a living four-story rainforest.

More than 100 research scientists work as part of the Academy’s Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability with initiatives such as Hope for Reefs, launched to research and restore coral reefs around the world.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)Art literally comes to life at the LEED Gold-certified San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Its living wall--the largest in the United States—is home to 19,442 plants of 37 different species. Designed by Habitat Horticulture, the wall stands 29 feet 4 inches tall and 150 feet wide and provides a multisensory outdoor experience and background for sculpture on the third-floor Pat and Bill Wilson Sculpture Terrace.

Supported with a recycled-water system, the wall is held in place by felt made from recycled water bottles and polyester.

ExploratoriumThe Exploratorium, an interactive science center located on Pier 15 is a LEED Platinum-certified facility. One of its highlight green features is its rooftop, sporting solar panels. Other green features include a Baywater heating and cooling system, and it is a "wired pier," transmitting environmental data to partners such as NOAA.

Aquarium of the BayLocated at Pier 39, Aquarium of the Bay is preparing to undergo a drastic expansion and rebranding to Bay Ecotarium, a climate and ocean conservation museum with double the amount of water capacity for its sea creatures. It will host 30,000 animals and expand its education component. Aquarium by the Bay is currently the only Smithsonian affiliated aquarium in California and helped found the San Francisco Bay Area Sustainable Seafood Alliance. Its new complex will strive for LEED Platinum certification when it opens in 2024 or 2025.

Aquarium of the Bay also runs the Sea Lion Center overlooking the sea lions parked at K-Dock at Pier 39, offering information about the pinnipeds. 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the sea lions at Pier 39.

Resources:

Oracle Park: https://www.mlb.com/giants/ballpark

Chase Center: https://www.chasecenter.com

California Academy of Sciences: https://www.calacademy.org

SFMOMA: https://www.sfmoma.org

Exploratorium: https://www.exploratorium.edu

Aquarium by the Bay: https://www.aquariumofthebay.org

HOTELS:

Among San Francisco’s vast hotel and lodging options, many are committed to green practices. Hotels have a 90 percent diversion rate and work closely with Recology on ensuring waste streams are not contaminated.

Green San Francisco Page 7

The Hotel Council of San Francisco, a nonprofit trade association that represents two-thirds of all hotel rooms in the city, has 87 members, with 19 hotels on its Sustainability Committee. Many are LEED certified, including the W Hotel, which is LEED Platinum and InterContinental San Francisco, which is LEED Gold.

Several hotels, including the Marriott Marquis, work with Toolworks, an organization that employs individuals with developmental disabilities, to help with their recycling and composting efforts. Through these employment opportunities, these individuals achieve economic independence and help business achieve their zero-waste goals.

Hotel restaurants and caterers work with Food Runners, an organization committed to donating food. Food Runners picks up excess food from restaurants, event planners, hotels, corporate cafeterias and more and delivers it to neighborhood food programs. Food Runners delivers more than 20,000 meals a week in San Francisco.

Some of San Francisco’s most sustainable hotels include:

Axiom Hotel: Axiom Hotel received the annual Hotel Hero Award for Sustainability in 2018 from the Hotel Council of San Francisco. The LEED Silver property is a Platinum Green Leader (highest level) on TripAdvisor and maintains a minimum of 69percent average volumetric diversion rate for all recyclable and compostable materials. Axiom is a member of the California Green Lodging Program through 2020.

Argonaut Hotel:The Argonaut Hotel near Fisherman’s Wharf is a certified green business by the San Francisco Department of the Environment, The property has four Green Keys from the Green Key Eco-Rating Program and also is a Green Leader - Gold Level on Tripadvisor. In addition, the hotel received the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification in 2018. The Argonaut participates in “Step Up and Power Down” – a PG&E sponsored employee engagement campaign that helps employees change their behavior while raising awareness of the amount of energy that is being wasted every day. The hotel has also discontinued the use of individual body soap, conditioner and shampoo plastic containers and converted to shower pumps.

The Orchard Garden Hotel:The Orchard Garden Hotel was the first in San Francisco to earn LEED Gold certification. Among its initiatives, the hotel also purchased a Tesla to serve as the house car. In addition the Orchard Garden installed a water purification system to eliminate using plastic water bottles for guest rooms and partners with “Plant a Billion Trees” for every Trip Advisor review. Its sister property, the Orchard Hotel, meets the same high standards of environmental sustainability. 

Hilton San Francisco Union Square: Hilton San Francisco is committed to sustainability with a host of initiatives. The hotel engages the services of Toolworks to help the hotel sort through waste to segregate recycling from landfill. The sorting also extracts at least 1,000 pounds a month of partially used soaps and amenities, which is sent to Clean the World, an organization that processes the used product into clean bars of soap that are distributed all over the world where hygiene products are needed. Hilton Union Square also designs sustainable volunteer opportunities for team members or clients, such as beach clean-ups and habitat restoration.

Hilton Union Square’s Community Projects Manager, Jo Licata, is well-known throughout the hospitality industry as the “Dumpster Diva.” She helps hotels and businesses find a new home for excess goods and supplies, everything from whole rooms of furniture to partial rolls of toilet paper and conference give-away leftovers. Her efforts have helped hotels divert 48 tons a year from landfill.

Hotel Zetta: Hotel Zetta repurposed items for a creative take on sustainability. The wood flooring in the lobby is from an old train station, its pool table in the lobby is made out of railroad ties, and chandeliers in the lobby are made from 200 pairs of reused eyeglasses each. In addition the art in the lobby bar is made of recycled wine bottles from Napa, and the rugs in our rooms are cleaned, repaired and re-woven from all over the world.   

Green San Francisco Page 8

Several hotels are also known for keeping bee sanctuaries on their rooftops, allowing them to harvest honey and raise awareness to the challenges bees are facing due to environmental issues.

The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel is known for its bee sanctuary, with six thriving hives on its roof. The honey is used in craft cocktails in the hotel’s Redwood Room, as well as served with its cheese and charcuterie platters, among other dishes. The Clift also boasts an 80 percent diversion rate toward the zero waste goal and offers guest $15 credit at its bars and restaurants if they choose a sustainable Stay Green housekeeping option.

Fairmont San Francisco is also known for its rooftop apiary, which produces about 1,000 pounds of honey a year.

Other hotels with hives on top include the W San Francisco, St. Regis, Beck’s Motor Lodge, Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf, Omni, the Hotel Drisco and the Hotel Zetta.

Resources:

Hotel Council of San Francisco: https://hotelcouncilsf.org

Food Runners: http://www.foodrunners.org

Axiom Hotel: https://www.axiomhotel.com

Argonaut Hotel: https://www.argonauthotel.com

Orchard Garden Hotel: https://www.theorchardgardenhotel.com

Hilton San Francisco Union Square: https://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/hilton-san-francisco-union-square-SFOFHHH/index.html

Hotel Zetta: https://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/zetta

Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel : https://www.sonesta.com/us/california/san-francisco/clift-royal-sonesta-hotel

Fairmont San Francisco Hotel: https://www.fairmont.com/san-francisco/

RESTAURANTS:

San Francisco’s eclectic array of restaurants includes many committed to sustainable practices. Iconic spot The Cliff House, for example, grows its own micro-arugula and other produce on a farm in Sonoma, focusing on local and when possible organic. Fisherman’s Wharf favorite Scoma’s is one of many to spotlight sustainable seafood and receives its oceanic supplies from a dock located just feet from its main entrance. At PIERT 39, Fog Harbor Fish House the first restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf to serve 100% sustainable seafood. Farm-to-table eateries range from upscale Saison in South Beach to casual Stem Kitchen & Garden in Potrero Hill.

One of the forerunners to San Francisco’s booming vegan and vegetarian restaurant scene is still going strong. Greens Restaurant at Fort Mason originally opened in 1979 and has become an award-winning destination vegetarian restaurant. In addition to sourcing from local, organic farmers, Greens also harvests produce from its Green Gulch Farm in Marin County.

Today the city features everything from vegan Japanese (Shi-Zen) to vegan Mexican (Gracias Madre).

ZeroFoodprint is a nonprofit organization that believes chefs and restaurants can lead in the fight against climate change. There are 14 ZeroFoodprint restaurants in San Francisco, and that number is likely to double in the next couple of months. Here are the local participants (as of 9/5/19):

Green San Francisco Page 9

Atelier CrennBar CrennbenuBorder grill (2 locations)Cafe GratitudeCalaCentral KitchenChez PanisseCreatorflour + waterflour + water pizzeriaGreat GoldGatherGracias MadreHandlinein situLord StanleyLowell’sMikkeller Bar (SF)Mission Chinese FoodMonsieur BenjaminMulvaney’s B&LNamu GajiOff the Grid Google CampusPetit CrennPreux & ProperThe ProgressRestaurant at CIA CopiaRestaurant at CIA NapaSingleThreadSpagoState Bird Provisions

Founded by industry veterans Chris Ying and Anthony Myint and sustainability specialist Peter Freed, ZeroFoodprint works with restaurants to help them understand their carbon emissions and reduce and offset their impact on climate change. Globally, the food system accounts for about 30 percent of the world’s carbon emissions.

Both State Bird Provisions and The Progress also are members of ZeroFoodprint. Chef/Owner, Stuart Brioza, has also spearheaded the Anchovy Project with TwoXSea (a local and sustainable seafood purveyor). The project encourages chefs to create a new market for anchovies, which are found in abundance in San Francisco Bay. The restaurants also support local farms when possible.

There is no shortage of farmers markets in San Francisco, attracting restaurant chefs like NoPa, among its visitors. The Center for Urban Education and Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA), is in charge of organizing the vendors at the largest of the farmers markets, Saturday’s Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at the Ferry Building, which features more than 100 vendors, all local and over half certified organic. Vendor criteria includes sustainability practices, humane animal welfare as well as social justice for farm workers. CUESA also focuses on education and sets up farm tours and cooking demos with local growers. Leftover foods from the market are picked up and redistributed by Food Runners.

Resources:

Cliff House: https://cliffhouse.com

Scoma’s: https://scomas.com

Green San Francisco Page 10

Fog Harbor Fish House: https://fogharbor.com/

Greens: https://greensrestaurant.com

Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar & Izakaya: https://www.shizensf.com

Gracias Madre: https://www.gracias-madre.com

ZeroFoodprint: http://www.zerofoodprint.org

Benu: https://www.benusf.com

In Situ: http://insitu.sfmoma.org

Lord Stanley: http://www.lordstanleysf.com

Saison: https://www.saisonsf.com

Stem Kitchen & Garden: http://www.stemkitchensf.com

State Bird Provisions: https://statebirdsf.com

The Progress: https://statebirdsf.com

Anchovy Project: https://www.whetstonemedia.co/the-anchovy-project

Ferry Plaza Farmers Market: https://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/farmers-market/

CUESA: https://cuesa.org

THE MOSCONE CENTER:

In 2019 Moscone Center, San Francisco’s largest convention and exhibition complex, expanded Moscone Center North and South buildings. Both achieved LEED Platinum certification by USGBC with 90 points, giving Moscone Center the highest LEED Platinum score in the world for a new build convention center.

The Moscone Center’s electricity is generated by hydropower, making it 100 percent greenhouse gas-free.  

The solar rooftop array, the largest system on a municipal building in San Francisco, offsets approximately 10% of the energy needs for the convention center.

Thanks in part to the solar installation and relying on Hetch Hetchy Power for its additional electricity needs, the Moscone Center will generate fewer carbon emissions per visitor than any other major convention center in North America.

Moscone Center caterer SAVOR serves attendees and exhibitors food at concessions packed into 100 percent compostable to-go serveware. Plastic-look alike salad bowls, parfait cups and iced drink glasses are all made from vegetable resins.

Moscone Center offers attendees composting campuswide. The convention center’s zero waste stations allow attendees to compost their lunch serveware into vineyard mulch. Signage helps attendees to separate materials at all zero waste stations.

Moscone Center: http://www.moscone.com

Green San Francisco Page 11

SAVOR: https://www.savorsmg.com

TRANSPORTATION:

All facets of transportation into and around San Francisco highlight clean and green initiatives.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO):

* San Francisco International Airport (SFO) made national news when they banned the sale of water in plastic bottles effective August 20, 2019. This move requires all airport retailers, restaurants, airline lounges, and vending machines to sell or provide water in recyclable aluminum, glass or BPI-certified compostable bottles. The policy applies to purified water, mineral water, carbonated or sparkling water, and electrolyte-enhanced water, but does not include flavored beverages such as sodas, teas, or juices. Passenger activity at SFO generates over 28 million pounds of waste annually, which includes approximately 10,000 bottles of water sold every day at SFO. Worldwide, less than 25 percent of plastic bottles get recycled, and the market for the recycling of plastic bottles continues to shrink. It is estimated that a single plastic bottle takes anywhere from 450 – 1,000 years to biodegrade in landfill. For more information, visit www.flysfo.com/plastic-free.

* SFO has achieved significant success in reducing its carbon footprint and is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent from a 1990 baseline, all by 2021. Already, SFO’s carbon dioxide emissions are more than 39 percent below their level in 1990.

* SFO’s Five-Year Strategic Plan sets the goal of becoming a “triple zero” campus, achieving not just carbon neutrality, but also net zero energy and zero waste, as well as being an operator of healthy and water-balanced facilities.

* SFO also announced the purchase of six 40-foot battery-electric zero-emission buses, with start of service beginning as soon as December 2019, which will reduce carbon emissions in support of SFO’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2021. The all-electric buses will replace six aging diesel buses, eliminating more than 23.7 million pounds of greenhouse gas tailpipe emissions over their lifetime.

* In July 2019, SFO achieved a major environmental milestone with the renewal of its certification in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program by the Airports Council International (ACI), the foremost advocate for airport operators worldwide. First awarded to SFO in 2016, this three-year re-certification at the program’s “Level 3” recognizes SFO for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and management from its own operations as well as collaboration with third parties, such as airlines and service providers, in reduction strategies.

Some of the efforts SFO engages in to operate more sustainably while reducing its carbon footprint include:• Purchasing 100percent carbon-free electricity from SFPUC’s Hetch Hetchy reservoir. • Installing over 1.5 megawatts of solar capacity at buildings and parking facilities across the airport. • Providing air conditioning and electrical power for all parked aircraft, avoiding over 18,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and saving 1.8 million gallons of jet fuel annually. • Eliminating nearly 220,000 annual bus trips by constructing the AirTrain, an all-electric train system connecting to BART, the Rental Car Center, and soon, Long Term Parking. • Driving the use of next-generation sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by convening a multi-sector working group and activating gateway projects to deliver alternativefuel to airlines. • Expanding drought-tolerant landscaping across the campus, cutting SFO’s water use for irrigation in half to save 6 million gallons of water annually. • Deploying a Zero Waste Concessions Program, reducing wasteful single-use plastics by moving all tenants to 100percent compostable food ware.

Green San Francisco Page 12

For more information on SFO’s environmental efforts, visit www.flysfo.com/environment/your-gateway-green-travel.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA)

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) transports 700,000 passengers a day on its variety of green transit options, including an extensive light-rail system, historic streetcars, and the city’s famed cable cars. SFMTA also operates the largest fleet of zero emissions electric trolley buses of any transit system in the U.S. and Canada. Trolley buses run on 100 percent greenhouse gas-free Hetch Hetchy electricity via overhead wires. MUNI also runs a fleet of low-emissions electric hybrid vehicles. The electric hybrid vehicles run on battery, as well as clean, renewable diesel.

SFMTA has committed to have an all-electric bus fleet by 2035. The SFMTA’s emissions have decreased 10percent since 1990. In a 2017 study, 52 percent of all trips from and within San Francisco were made using transit, biking or walking.

Meanwhile, the SFMTA has been rolling out new electric hybrid buses with higher capacity on-board battery systems. The increased on-board battery capacity will allow the SFMTA to run a test program to operate “Green Zones” along several electric hybrid routes that would run only by battery for significant portions of the route. The “Green Zone” signifies an area in which the vehicle will not produce any emissions.

Electric vehicle charging stations:There are now 600 public EV charging stations within San Francisco’s limits. The San Francisco Bay Area remains one of the fastest growing markets for electric vehicles. San Francisco is also among leading cities nationally in providing publicly available charging infrastructure.

SFMTA: https://www.sfmta.com

BIKESHARE

SFMTA is also in charge of building the city’s connected bike network. There are a total of 447 bicycle network miles, counting each side of the street separately. That number puts San Francisco ahead of peer cities such as Seattle, Portland and Chicago, according to the 2019 SFMTA Bike Program Report.

https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/2019/06/sfmta_2019_bike_program_report.pdf

The city offers two main bikeshare options.

* Ford GoBike system operates 146 bikeshare stations in San Francisco serving the downtown, SOMA, Tenderloin, Mission Bay, Upper Market, Castro, Dogpatch, Bayview and Mission district neighborhoods. Phased expansion over the next two years will bring more bikeshare coverage to Dogpatch, the Bayview, NoPa, Haight-Ashbury, and Golden Gate Park.

* In January 2018, the SFMTA launched an 18-month electric bike (e-bike) pilot with JUMP Bikes. Under the 250-bike pilot period, the SFMTA is working with JUMP Bikes to study travel patterns, user behaviors, and other impacts that users have on the existing mobility network.

Resources:

Bay Wheels: https://www.lyft.com/bikes/bay-wheels

JUMP Bikes: https://jump.com

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)

Green San Francisco Page 13

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains, which connect San Francisco to SFO and the East Bay, are 100 percent electric, with over 97percent of that power coming from zero and low-carbon sources including solar and hydro-energy. BART is increasing its use of low-carbon, zero-carbon and renewable energy sources, with the goal of transitioning to 100 percent carbon-free by 2035 and 100percent renewable energy by 2045. BART is one of the country’ cleanest transit systems, emitting fewer pounds of CO2e per passenger mile than any other transit system in its class.

BART trains also convert their kinetic energy of motion into electrical energy as the trains brake. Some of the energy regenerated during the process is returned to the power distribution system, which is then used to operate other trains.

BART: https://www.bart.gov

CALTRAIN:

Caltrain, which provides rail service along the San Francisco Peninsula, through the South Bay to San Jose and Gilroy, is planning the Caltrain Modernization Program (CalMod). A key component is its Caltrain Electrification plan, which will electrify the corridor from San Francisco to San Jose and will replace 75percent of Caltrain’s diesel service with electric--providing cleaner, greener, and faster service to the Caltrain community. Current predictions are for the electric fleet to start running by late 2021 or early 2022.

Caltrain: http://www.caltrain.com

PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO

The Bay Area maritime fleet is making the transition to renewable diesel, becoming the first region in the nation to adopt the environmentally responsible fuel standard. Renewable diesel made from nonpetroleum renewable resources like natural fats, vegetable oils, and greases, works just like regular diesel and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent or more. The switch will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 22,000 metric tons per year.  The Red and White Fleet, which operates sightseeing cruises, made the switch in late 2017. It also introduced its first hydrogen fuel cell vessel, The Enhydra, as a step towards its goal of reaching a zero emissions fleet by 2025.

The San Francisco Fire Department transitioned to renewable diesel in 2018. Bay Area ferries and excursion providers, including Golden Gate Ferry, Hornblower Cruises, Blue and Gold, and Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) are looking into the options for using renewable diesel. Hornblower Cruises did repower the engines on their boats to tier 3 EPA emission standards. Also, for large-scale events on the boats that require single-use tableware, the entire table is compostable, including paper straws, bamboo plates, and compostable cups and utensils.

Alcatraz Cruises also committed to sustainability. They were the first in the nation to provide hybrid ferry service, as well as solar panels and wind turbines on their ferries.   Resources:

Port of San Francisco: https://sfport.com

Red and White Fleet: https://redandwhite.com

Golden Gate Ferry: http://goldengateferry.org/schedules Hornblower Cruises: https://www.hornblower.com

Blue and Gold: https://www.blueandgoldfleet.com

Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA): https://weta.sanfranciscobayferry.com

Green San Francisco Page 14

Alcatraz Cruises: www.alcatrazcruises.com/fleet/  CLEAN POWER

In 2017, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and SF Environment announced a goal of a 50 percent renewable energy supply by 2020.  To lead the charge, CleanPowerSF, which began in 2016, is delivering to every eligible SF resident and business clean energy at affordable rates, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions from San Francisco’s energy sector. Most of the renewable energy in its clean power mix comes from the Shiloh Wind Farm.

Today CleanPowerSF has enrolled more than 360,000 businesses and residents, saving them a combined total of $3.5 million. Combined with the municipal facilities currently receiving hydroelectricity from the SFPUC’s Hetch Hetchy Power System, the agency now meets 80 percent of the electricity demand in San Francisco. 

Those dual clean power alternatives have played a key role in helping the city reduce its greenhouse emissions by 36 percent below 1990 levels.

Taking it a step further, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a plan in 2019 to transition private commercial buildings of 50,000 square feet and larger to 100 percent renewable electricity. Almost half of San Francisco’s citywide emissions come from buildings, and half of those emissions come from the commercial sector.

“We must continue to lead the way in the fight against climate change, and we know that the building sector is a major contributor of climate-changing greenhouse gases,” said Mayor Breed. “Transitioning our large buildings to 100 percent renewable energy is an important step towards making San Francisco an even more sustainable city and continuing the progress we have made with CleanPowerSF.”

Mayor London N. Breed’s legislation to transition private commercial buildings of 50,000 square feet and larger to 100 percent renewable electricity. Almost half of San Francisco’s citywide emissions come from buildings, and half of those emissions come from the commercial sector. San Francisco has already reduced its greenhouse gas emissions 36 percent below 1990 levels.

The new clean electricity requirement is the first of its kind in the nation. The law will reduce emissions from the City’s largest commercial buildings by an additional 21 percent to accelerate San Francisco’s drive towards 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030.

The City’s municipal buildings are already powered by greenhouse gas-free hydroelectricity through Hetch Hetchy Power. To accelerate San Francisco’s transition to an all-electric City, in April 2019 Mayor London Breed also announced that she is directing the Department of the Environment to convene a public-private task force to examine how best to electrify all of San Francisco’s buildings. The task force is expected to produce a decarbonization roadmap for buildings in early 2020. In July, Supervisor Brown announced that she will introduce legislation to eliminate the use of natural gas in all new municipal building projects and major renovations, in order to further decarbonizing City-owned buildings.

Additionally, San Francisco’s GoSolarSF program continues to provide clean energy. As of a 2017 report, since 2008, GoSolarSF has helped to install 15.5 megawatts and nearly 4,300 new solar installations.

Resources:

CleanPowerSF: https://www.cleanpowersf.org

GoSolarSF: https://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=133

GREEN BUILDINGS/BUSINESSES

In addition to Mayor Breed’s call for clean power in commercial buildings, San Francisco’s new-builds must comply with SF Environment’s high green building standards.

Green San Francisco Page 15

New construction in San Francisco must meet all applicable California codes, provide solar electric, thermal, or a green roof for all new buildings 10 floors in height or less; provide on-site facilities for recycling and composting; and meet city green building requirements tied to the LEED and GreenPoint Rated green building rating systems.

Beginning in 2018, new construction was required to have electrical infrastructure capable of supplying electricity for electric vehicle charging at 100 percent of new parking spaces. 

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Recology, a 100 percent employee-owned company providing waste and recycling services to San Francisco since 1920, runs the city’s waste management, and is integral to the city’s 80 percent diversion rate. To further its success in light of the city’s zero waste initiative, the resource recovery company completed the following actions in 2018:

Strengthened relationships with domestic and foreign buyers of recycled materials and developed new markets. Constructed West Wing, an extension to its state-of-the art organics transfer station to expand San Francisco’s industry-leading curbside composting collection program. The $19 million investment gives San Francisco the capacity to increase the amount of food scraps and yard trimmings collected and transferred to composting facilities from 750 tons to more than 1,000 tons per day.

Retooled Recycle Central, a 200,000-square-foot Material Recovery Facility on San Francisco’s Pier 96. Launched, Better At The Bin, a comprehensive initiative to encourage and inspire everyone to be better

recyclers and smarter consumers. Results include:o $14 million upgrade of Recycle Central at Pier 96o New infrastructure – $19 million transfer station for compostable materialo Larger recycling bins and smaller trash bins for residential customerso More investment in outreach and educationo Tour 5,000 guests a year, mostly students

Resources:

Recology: https://www.recology.com

Better at the Bin: https://www.recology.com/better-at-the-bin/

The San Francisco Travel Association is the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of San Francisco. For information on reservations, activities and more, visit www.sftravel.com or call 415-391-2000. 

San Francisco Travel’s main Visitor Information Center is now located at 749 Howard St., adjacent to the Moscone Convention Center. San Francisco Travel also operates Visitor Information Centers at Macy’s Union Square and in Chinatown at 625 Kearny St. San Francisco Travel is also a partner at the California Welcome Center at PIER 39.

For more about San Francisco, follow www.facebook.com/onlyinSF, www.instagram.com/onlyinsf and https://twitter.com/onlyinsf.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) offers non-stop flights to more than 50 international cities on 44 international carriers. The Bay Area's largest airport connects non-stop with 85 cities in the U.S. on 12 domestic airlines. SFO offers upgraded free Wi-Fi with no advertising. For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps and details on shopping, dining, cultural exhibitions, ground transportation and more, visit www.flysfo.com. Follow SFO on www.twitter.com/flysfo and www.facebook.com/flysfo.

United Airlines is the preferred airline of the San Francisco Travel Association.

# # #

Green San Francisco Page 16

Note to editors: Press releases and other media resources are available at www.sftravel.com/media. The San Francisco Travel Photo Video Library is available at photos.sftravel.com To receive news and updates regularly in San Francisco Travel’s e-newsletters, visit www.sftravel.com and scroll

down to “Newsletter Sign-up.” For news and story ideas, follow www.facebook.com/onlyinSF, www.instagram.com/onlyinsf and

https://twitter.com/sfmediarelation.

Rev. 10.4.19