In modern society, the industrial world and the world of nature does not always see eye-to-eye.  Industrialized nations have always competed and thrived financially on the exploitation of nature's resources. The modern world has had no regard for nature as it has obtained financial profit by compromising mother earth.  An example is the deforestation of the rainforests in South and Central America, primarily, the Amazon in Brazil, to satisfy the demand for farm land to grow and harvests crops and raise cattle.  All of this is done for the vital purpose of supply and demand, not only for Brazil, but for the world.  The stress, between modern society's thirst for goods and services verses the well-being of our earth, has reached a breaking point.   

What if working with nature and not destroying it could be financially profitable for mankind?  With global warming and the increasing endangerment of species and of our natural resources, we must now step up to protect our world.  For our own survival, nature and man must coexist.  There is no better way to accomplish this, than through renewable energy integration.  

The city of San Francisco has successfully implemented a "renewable resources" program. San Francisco, one of the top "green cities" in America, is harnessing renewable green energy by creating a whole new world of economic composting. On June 23, 2009, San Francisco passed the first law of its kind: a mandatory compost regulation, requiring every business and private residences, to throw away their decomposed trash into a separate garbage bin.  This green garbage bin stands side-by-side with the blue recycle container and the black bin for non-reusable trash. 

With the new composting law, businesses have actually saved money and made a profit.  The program created new jobs with employment of workers for compost collection and processing.  The composting law has saved San Francisco 500 tons a day of compost that would normally be tossed into the city dump. 

By 2010, San Francisco hopes that 75% of its recyclable goods to be renewed and recycled.  San Francisco's goal then by 2020, is to produce a "zero waste" solution city, thus creating a city that eliminates all littering of reusable, recyclable resources.  The city has already cracked down hard against violators, by fining business owners up to $1,000.00, dollars if they have not signed up for mandatory recycling programs.     

New Products are being created from these recent recycling laws.  One such product is "Four Course Compost", a nutrient-rich mulch, made from the food scraps of San Franciscan's. These composted food scraps are turned into natural fertilizer for nearby vineyards.  The compost from leftovers of the local businesses is transformed into fertilizer is added to the soil of the vineyards. The vineyards produce wine, which is purchased by local businesses and residents.  Therefore a web of green renewable energy and financial profit has been knit into an elaborate green pattern of nature and man collaboration.  This green program ties the urban and rural communities together and creates jobs and profit for both, and cuts down on landfill and CO2 emissions.

If every city and town followed San Francisco's example by implementing the use of three trash bins: one for plastic, glass and paper, a second for compost products, and a third for non-recyclables, we would have a greener and more profitable world.  This globe is rapidly changing and with the rise of green ideas, and simple yet financially savvy techniques ensuring a greener tomorrow, our Modern society and mother earth will finally beginning to see eye-to-eye.  The well-being of our earth is starting to be in greener hands.         

Lisa Forrest 

Works Cited

Vestel, Leora.  "A New and a Booming Business for Recycling in San Francisco." Green Inc. October 21, 2009:  n.pag. New York Times. Web. December 27, 2009.