Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division in Georgia demonstrates incredible innovation and dedication to meet waste diversion goals.

It stands to reason that one of the most beautiful and iconic cities on planet Earth would take seriously its view of garbage. Beautification programs in San Francisco can be traced back to the 1960's, with arguably less defined approaches reaching further back than that. Efforts appear to be paying off; San Francisco diverts an astounding 80 percent of its waste from landfills, compared to the national average of 34 percent. So how exactly did the city become a leader in the march toward zero waste? While its colorful history and progressive politics certainly are key elements, the city's current stewardship, coupled with its long history of managing waste, help to answer the question.