Green Stacks
The Library strives to give users the inspiration and information for living a greener life, including enlightening public events, reading lists and resources for sustainability, and real-world examples from practices in our own eco-friendly libraries. Green Stacks is a partnership of San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco Environment and Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, and is created in conjunction with the Library’s Wallace Stegner Environmental Center.
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
—Jane Goodall
- Receive 100% renewable energy with CleanPowerSF's SuperGreen program.
- Compost! It's one of the easiest green things you can do, here's why.
- Refuse Plastic Bags. These single use items kill, pollute and put chemicals into our bodies and our earth. 50% of the plastic we use, we use just once and throw away.
- Unused medicine is a threat to public health and the environment, drop it off at these San Francisco locations: http://sfenvironment.org/meds, or visit any San Francisco Public Library to pick up a free, prepaid mail-back envelope.
- What can you recycle? Find out here: http://sfrecycles.org.
- Eat sustainable seafood with help from Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch.
- Use the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Healthy Living App when choosing products to buy, or visit the EWG website to search there.
- Use green cleaning products such as castile soap, vinegar and baking soda. Learn more about safe cleaning products at SF Environment.
- What's Your Watt? The Library circulates home electric metering devices so library users can measure their energy use in home appliances.
- Stop junk mail and unwanted phonebooks by registering at DMAchoice.org.
- Apple will recycle your old smartphone, tablet or computer - Mac or PC - responsibly at no cost to you. You may even be eligible for an Apple gift card.
- Discover green industry jobs on our Green Jobs page. Find even more green job listings and volunteer opportunities with SF Environment.
San Francisco Public Library’s Environmental Efforts
- On the Road: Green Bookmobile
- Growing Green: Gardens, Seed Lending Library, Living Roof
- Signed Up: Our Green Design Virtual Tour
- Gold & Silver & Green: LEED Certified Libraries
- Climate Action Plan