Thank you, the San Francisco Green Business community, for doing your part to conserve resources, prevent pollution, and green the local economy. You are now part of a network of over 350 Green Businesses in San Francisco and 4,000 statewide! We encourage you to find other Green Businesses on our local map and California statewide directory.
To support your ongoing work, the resources below will help you and your employees continue to make cost-effective, green choices at work and at home. This guide will provide green tips on topics such as energy, water, safer products, and more!
Energy savings
Energy efficiency is one of the best ways to save money and reduce your carbon footprint. Browse this section for more energy resources for San Francisco and Bay Area residents.
Business owners
- CleanPowerSF
Fight climate change and support San Francisco communities by switching your business to 100% renewable energy. Click to get a quote!
- BayREN Business
Cut energy costs and learn about incentives and rebates for opportunities to upgrade appliances in your business.
- PG&E Food Service & Technology Center
The Food Service and Technology Center provides guidance and training to commercial food service industries about how to save energy.
Employees
- Home Energy Efficiency Tips
- Set the thermostat to a reasonable temperature (68 degrees F); turn it off when you're going out.
- Use LED lights.
- Adjust your water heater to be more energy efficient. Turn the dial down from the "very hot" setting.
- Find drafts, leaks, and gaps where your heat is escaping. If you are renting, ask your landlord if they are willing to install weather stripping.
- Renewable Energy:
- CleanPowerSF
Click the link to get a quote to power your home with 100% renewable energy. - Learn more about Community Choice Aggregation where you live at cal-cca.org.
- SunShares
See how you can get solar panels installed on your home or how to buy an electric vehicle through discounts with SunShares.
- CleanPowerSF
- BayRen Energy Efficiency Upgrades
Talk with an energy expert about your home’s energy needs and learn how much money you can save with upgrades from heating, ventilation, cooktops, and more.
Water reduction
Saving water is a great way to save money while preventing water waste. This section gives business owners and residents tips to save water and manage outdoor landscaping.
Business Owners
- Green Landscaping Checklist:
See San Francisco’s requirements for businesses with outdoor landscapes. - SFPlantFinder.org
Explore San Francisco pollinator friendly and drought tolerant plants. - Rescapeca.org
Work with a Bay-friendly certified landscaper to help reduce water and toxic chemical use. - OurWaterOurWorld.org
Choose the least toxic methods to solve pest problems in your garden. - FREE Water-Wise Evaluations
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) offers businesses free water assessments to find leaks, replace wasteful fixtures, and give tips for more efficient indoor and outdoor use.
Employees
- Home Water Saving Tips
- U.S. EPA’s Fix a Leak Week
Mark your calendars for the EPA’s annual Fix a Leak Week. Events usually occur in March and are meant resources to teach residents how to find and fix household leaks. - SFPUC Water Conservation Requirements
Be sure your home’s water fixtures are following the SFPUC’s standards for water conservation requirements. Schedule an inspection and get free water fixtures. - Water-Wise Evaluations
The SFPUC offers residents free water evaluations to identify leaks, replace wasteful fixtures, and give tips for more efficient indoor and outdoor use. See how you can reduce your water bill by scheduling a Water-Wise Evaluation.! - OurWaterOurWorld.org
Choose the least toxic methods to solve pest problems in your garden. - SFPlantFinder.org
Checkout this website to see which plants are best for your garden and to learn about San Francisco’s native flora. - Rescapeca.org/directory
Click here to learn about regenerative landscaping, sign up for classes about landscape management, and learn about climate change and land use issues.
Reducing waste
This section provides information about required waste sorting, recycling, composting, pickup services, and more!
Business owners
- Zero Waste webpage
Visit SFE’s zero waste webpage to learn about mandatory recycling and composting requirements for businesses, how to prevent food waste, print waste signs, disposing of hazardous waste, and more.
Employees
- SFE Zero Waste webpage
Learn about mandatory recycling and composting requirements for San Francisco residents, where to dispose of hazardous household waste, tools for property managers, and more.
- SFRecycles.org
Find where to properly recycle or safely dispose of unwanted items near you.
Toxics reduction
This section provides tips for reducing the use of toxic chemicals at home and work and gives information about safely disposing of hazardous waste. Exposure to hazardous substances could increase the possibility of headaches, asthma, and other illnesses. Improperly disposing of hazardous waste can contaminate drinking water, pollute local waterways, and harm wildlife. Plus, it’s illegal.
Business Owners
- SFE Toxics and Health
Learn how to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals in cleaning and personal care products, pesticides, and plastic. See how to safely dispose of products with toxic chemicals, such as fluorescent lights, batteries, and paint.
- Green cleaning at work
These tips will help ensure a safer work environment by protecting your staff, customers, and the environment by using safer products and cleaning practices.
- Safer Products and practices in the workplace
This fact sheet gives employers quick tips for using less toxic products that save money and help protect the health of employees.
- SFApproved.org
Find environmentally preferable products like cleaning products, office supplies, furniture, and more.
Employees
- SFE Toxics and Health webpage
Find disposal sites for common household hazardous wastes, learn about ingredients to look out for in personal care products, mercury in your seafood and lightbulbs, and more.
- Safer Cleaning products for home
Learn about safer choices for traditional household cleaning products. Save money by making your own cleaning products using common household ingredients and learn to read product labels.
- Find a Healthy Nail Salon
Locate a Healthy Nail Salon in San Francisco near you! Interested in becoming a Healthy Nail Salon, or know someone who might be? Click the link to learn how to get certified.
Sustainable commuting
Did you know you have a free guaranteed ride home in case of an emergency? Learn about the Emergency Ride Home program or how you can reduce your carbon emissions by taking sustainable transportation or signing up for commuter benefits.
Business owners
- Transportation
Learn how to sign up for commuter benefits for your employees, take advantage of the free Emergency Ride Home program, and explore other forms of getting to work sustainably.
Employees
- Transportation
Click to learn about clean vehicle incentives for San Francisco residents, using the City’s free Emergency Ride Home service, sustainable ways to get around the City, and more.
