Right now San Franciscans keep 30 percent of their garbage out of landfills by using the numerous recycling options the city offers. Pizza boxes are OK as long as they're not covered with cheese. As for preparing the recyclables for pickup, don't worry about peeling the labels off bottles and cans, pulling the plastic windows out of junk-mail envelopes, or pulling the staples out of magazines. And be sure to put your paper recycling in a paper bag or tie it with string before you put it out. Unfortunately there's no curbside service in downtown San Francisco, so businesses in that area have to contract with a recycling company to get their office paper and other recyclable materials picked up.
Recycling is often a fiscally responsible decision for businesses.
If you want money back for your recyclables, you'll have to go to a buyback center. All four centers accept milk cartons. The newest push by county recycling programs is the promotion of composting. Both San Francisco and Alameda Counties sell reduced-rate compost bins that you can set up in your backyard to turn coffee grounds, leaves, vegetable and fruit peelings, bread, pasta, and other kitchen scraps into nutrients for your garden. Both organizations also offer free workshops on composting basics.