Always a pioneer in modern technology, San Francisco is quickly becoming a leader in the environmental community as well. The city is the first in the nation to implement laws requiring residents to recycle and compost. Tossing food waste in a trashcan is now illegal in SF, and anyone who disobeys this law risks paying a $500 fine.

While many criticized the law would impose on citizen's freedom (and many speculated that this would be a total waste - no pun intended), businesses and landlords still obliged, many making arrangements to accommodate the law ahead of time. They need not worry any longer.

Yesterday was the first day the ruling was put into action, so how did it fare? Pretty well, actually! Residents and businesses are already beginning to see the perks of a more advanced waste system. NY Times blog Green Inc reports that since the law taking effect, the amount of waste collected for composting has risen from 400 to 500 tons per day.

Such a difference will no doubt increase the standard of living. As this video from NPR describes, residents in apartment buildings will no longer have to suffer from stinky-trash-chute syndrome. Plus, the entire community is now talking about climate change and how they can clean up our environment in other ways.

Awesome! We wonder which city will be the next to implement such a policy?

via TreeHugger