San Francisco County, CA November 3, 1998 General
Smart Voter

Resource Recovery, Reuse and Restoration

By Denise A. D'Anne

Candidate for Board of Supervisors

This information is provided by the candidate
The City of San Francisco maintains 61 department with an estimated employee base of over 27,000. This small city within a city uses more resources than many City households combined. We are reaching our capacity to dispose of all the waste generated from our offices, including private ones. Why not recover, restore, reuse and reduce.
The Resource Conservation Program I established in the Department of Human Services (DHS) could be a model for the rest of the City. This program presently saves the taxpayer over $300,000 and it has a potential to save millions in each department. It also would increase employment without cost to the City and provide a surplus for underfunded department and services. How does it work? I developed a no-waste system and created a culture of awareness of how we use resources, how to reduce use and how to come up with more efficient ways to use the resources we need. Without a permanent staff but with the help of General Assistance client, many homeless, we pick up material and restore them for reuse. We also scavenge material squirreled away in corners, in recycled bins and garbage. An example of the savings is a 6-part folder that costs the City 94 cents. This folder previously discarded with its paper contents is now restored for reuse.DHS saved $30,000 on this item in 1997 because it did not need to reorder. The paper was recycled and that savings has not been estimated. Besides picking up material, I have found sources that will take such items as Styrofoam, packing boxes, broken electronic equipment and even used staples. Nothing is wasted and sources are found for every imaginable material to either be recycled, reused or donated. All furniture previously discarded is now donated to non-profits. DHS was given a $200,000 gift of used but high-end furniture that it would otherwise have bought. The above and many other ways to increase revenues for services have been devised. I suggest a central warehouse that all City department would be required to contact for equipment, material and supplies before purchasing new. This is type of system is already in use by a non-profit, known as MAGIK, which computerized it stock of material donated from industry and private individuals and is able to instantly determine what is available and who needs material. The City should institute this type of system. Another example for savings of money, the environment and job creation is reducing the use of City vehicles for visiting nurses and social workers. At present one person,one vehicle is used to transport the above to visit clients. Many of these clients live in a designated geographical area. Why not provide a shuttle service for these visiting employees transporting 4 to 6 people at one time. Less cars would need to be purchased, air quality would improve and other beneficial spin-offs would ensue. Ideas for savings in City department are endless. The above only touches on a few. Job creation without cost to the City is also a component of the above. Reduction of pollution from shipping and better use of material is another plus. San Francisco is soon to face a crisis of providing landfill. By the year 2000 the City is mandated to reduce its waste by 50% or suffer daily fines of $10,000. We are nowhere near that goal. Another source of pollution is the type of services required in modern offices, such a toner containers for copiers. These containers should be refilled but are now disposed of in the trash. The City could use its financial leverage to require all its suppliers to use refillable toners, less or no non-recycable packing material, require more earth friendly material and equipment of all kinds. Energy use and water consumption is another area in which the City could set the tone by using passive devices for electrical appliances and lights, water saving devices and requiring new buildings to be green (no airtight building - some known as sick buildings), etc. An all-out educational effort should be instituted. Most offices have training classes in living with diversity, how to prevent sexual misconduct, how to use computers, etc. What could be more important and useful than to be trained in the art of living sustainably on this planet. We can start with where we work.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 22, 1998 10:59
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