Now this is our kinda car-sharing service! Mayor Ed Lee welcomed little-known nonprofit grassroots effort BMW into San Francisco by way of electric-car sharing on Monday. It was all a part of the DriveNow and ParkNow services that, "lets smart drivers easily find and book a parking spot in advance at ParkNow garages located in and around San Francisco."

Who is it for? Oh, everyone. The little people. The bleu collars. The burrito eaters. You. Us. Harmony.

The rate, according to SF Appeal, is "$12 for the first 30 minutes of driving, followed by 32 cents for each additional minute, with a cap at $90 per day." (Compare that to City Car Share, which can range from $5-$7 per house during regular drive times.) The cars can be picked up and tossed away like last year's Burberry at any of the eight stations littered throughout San Francisco.

Regarding the swank car-sharing program, Mayor Ed Lee newsomed that it should make San Francisco "more sustainable in our mobility" and that we are "getting greener and smarter." Appeal goes on to report that the service will launch next month, and will "eventually include more than 100 additional locations."

In their rush to be the first to tweet the sensational "San Francisco Bans Apple Computers" headline, several reputable news sources including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Huffington Post* and countless tech blogs wrote this week that the city would be banning or completely boycotting the purchase of Apple products now that the company has pulled their computers from the standard rating system for green electronics. Except it's not quite like that.

First, allow Gizmodo to explain what the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, certification means for Apple:

The purpose of EPEAT is to lessen the negative environmental impact of making electronics by requiring companies to meet eight different environmental-focused categories like a product's lifetime, toxic materials, recyclability, etc. It's a good thing. And it's a pretty big thing that Apple doesn't care about EPEAT anymore because all of its computers since 2007 have been EPEAT Gold Certified.

So, yes, the certification thing is a big deal for the company, which has pushed a green image in recent years. But as with all things Apple, the change in attitude comes after a change in design: When the company unveiled their latest MacBook Pro with a Retina Display, they also unveiled a less environmentally friendly product. The battery in the latest model is unfortunately glued to the case — making it near impossible for regular recyclers to separate the battery from the recyclable housing. Rather than only removing the newest model, Apple has pulled all 39 of their computers. (EPEAT doesn't cover tables to iPads and iPhones aren't included here.)

Many cities, government offices, schools and universities — including the city of San Francisco — require that their computer purchases be meet EPEAT's benchmark of environmental friendliness. So, Apple's withdrawal of 39 computers from EPEAT means many of those agencies won't get their Mac purchases approved by the IT Department too easily.

As Melanie Nutter, Director of San Francisco's Department of the Environment told WSJ yesterday, the city was "disappointed that Apple chose to withdraw from EPEAT, and we hope that the city saying it will not buy Apple products will make Apple reconsider its participation.” Likewise, the city's Chief Information Officer Jon Walton explained city agencies would only be getting Apple computers if they went though a "long" and "onerous" waiver process.

However, in a statement released late Wednesday, Nutter clarified her language on the Cupertino company's choice to remove themselves from EPEAT:

There is no ban or boycott in place in San Francisco on Apple products and none is being considered.

San Francisco Department of the Environment assists in implementing the City's green purchasing ordinance. The City has a 2009 policy that requires computers, laptops and monitors purchased by the City to be EPEAT Gold.

San Francisco's City Purchaser will be issuing a letter to remind city agencies about the City's technology purchasing policies.

We are reaching out to understand why Apple decided to withdraw its participation from the EPEAT ecolabel program for computers and hope they will reconsider.

As for getting Cupertino to reconsider certification: all those negative headlines will probably have a bigger impact than the City of San Francisco's purchasing power. According to estimates from city CIO Walton, only something like 500-700 or 1-2% of city-owned computers are Macs. In 2010, the city spent under $46,000 on Macs out of a total $3.8 million budget for computers and laptops — and 46 grand is just a drop in the bucket compared to what the big tech companies like Twitter and Zynga are likely to plunk down on new hardware in a year, even if the new MacBook Pro is the Hummer of laptops.

*Note: A few of those sources have updated their headlines to reflect the new language in Nutter's statement.

Healdsburg restaurant Spoonbar at h2hotel and Waterbar in San Francisco are looking for fruit. Your fruit. Your heavy-hanging fruit. It's all part of an attempt to reduce their carbon footprints. Your fruit, picked at its peak, will spend minutes not days en route. According to the press release, "[t]his will be a delicious and eco-conscience addition to the meals and drinks that are already served at Spoonbar and Waterbar."

Running for the second year in Sonoma County, residents gather their homegrown winter citrus and trade it for dining credit at Spoonbar. And here in San Francisco, pastry chef Emily Lucchetti is asking for winter citrus for use in her seasonal desserts. "For each 10 pounds of Meyer lemons, kumquats, limes, oranges or any other variety of citrus in abundance, the restaurant will trade half dozen of Chef’s Choice oysters or any dessert on the list. Haul in 30 pounds and Waterbar will name the dish that uses the fruit after that guest for a day."

Here's what you can bring in: homegrown grapefruits, oranges, lemons, exotic citruses. Unsure of what fruit is acceptable? Then call Spoonbar at 707-433-7222 and Waterbar at 415-284-9922. Happy picking!

Or if you want to look at it another way: San Francisco won a Sustainable Transport Award for the SFPark program's dynamic meter pricing and for replacing a citywide swath of parallel parking spaces with parklets. You know, depending on which side of the green fence you're on. The award is given by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (which is apparently an organization that conveniently fights emissions, poverty, and pollution all at once), and it recognizes San Francisco as an innovator of sorts in the area of sustainable transport. Also: we got bonus points for "embracing social media".

Per the institute:

San Francisco is using parking reform to great effect. The new ‘SFpark’ variable-rate, demand-responsive parking management system, provides real-time parking availability information online, via text and smartphone apps. The city’s ‘Pavement to Parks’ program reclaims parking spaces for public space and has created 20 new and dynamic parklets with more on the way. The city started to upgrade and expand its bike network, setting an ambitious target of 20 percent of all trips made by bicycle by 2020.

We completely agree with the delightful trend towards parklets here. It is definitely in San Francisco's best interest to replace cars on the roads with places were regular people can legally drink outside without looking like transients. Per the SFPark thing: we can't be sure if anyone from the ITDP actually tried to use SFPark — most regular people can't seem to figure that thing out. But then maybe that's the point — to keep drivers on their toes.

In other news, Medellin, Colombia was also honored for that city's use of suspended cable cars servicing the city's hillside slums. So now you know San Francisco has something in common with Medellin other than a seedy history with Bolivian marching powder.

[NationalGeographic]
[ITDP]

In addition to having the filthiest streets in the nation, San Francisco has just been anointed the greenest city in the United States and Canada, according to a study by Siemens. The report assessed and compared "27 major U.S. and Canadian cities on environmental performance and policies across nine categories - CO2 emissions, energy, land use, buildings, transport, water, waste, air quality and environmental governance."

“It’s certainly an honor for San Francisco to be named the ‘greenest’ city in North America, and it’s great to get recognition for the good work San Franciscans have done,” said Mayor Lee. “San Francisco is committed to working toward a greener, healthier future for the City, and I think there’s nowhere else on earth where you will find more environmentally involved residents, businesses and visitors than in San Francisco.”

This is great news, obviously. Seeing as how most of us are now forced to recycle and compost (and with good reason!), San Francisco absolutely deserves the honor. It's been a lot of hard work.

San Francisco scored 83.8 out of 100. Other cities trailing behind? Vancouver, New York City, Seattle, and Denver complete the Top 5. Landing with a resounding thud in the Top Bottom are Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Cleveland, St Louis, and much to no one's surprise, Detroit.

In a continuing effort to reduce the city's carbon emissions -- while boosting the smugness of Prius owners, of course -- Mayor Ed Lee's office will announce the availability of free power for electric for cars in San Francisco and SFO. The no-cost charges will last until the end of 2013. Who's paying for this, you ask? Well, according to the Examiner: "The $300,000 bill for the new program is being footed by a combination of federal, state and local grants, including one from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District." Electric-car charging station locations will be as follows:

- Civic Center garage
- Ellis O’Farrell garage
- Fifth & Mission garage
- General Hospital garage
- Golden Gateway garage
- Japan Center garage
- Lombard garage
- Mission Bartlett garage
- Moscone Center garage
- North Beach garage
- Performing Arts garage
- Pierce Lombard garage
- Polk Bush garage
- Portsmouth Square garage
- SFO garages
- St. Mary’s Square garage
- 1600 Mission Street garage
- Stockton Sutter garage
- Union Square garage
- Vallejo Street garage

Lee will make the official announcement later today. To learn more, check out the Examiner's piece on free vehicular electricity.

While we (and you!) rock back and forth in a near-catatonic state of anticipation for Alice Waters' big announcement -- on Twitter, no less! -- we'll keep you saffron-infused-olive-oil-poached abreast of her updates throughout the day. According to David Prior, director of communications for the Chez Panisse Foundation, Waters is poised to make some sort of big announcement today. About what, exactly? No clue. However, we've got her (or her PR rep's) first-ever Tweet. It went live a little after 10 am. Behold:

@AliceWaters: " 'The destiny of nations depends on how they nourish themselves.' Brillat-Savarin via MFK Fisher"

We have no idea what she's talking about, but it sure sounds exciting! Stay tuned.

Update: Waters just posted the following: "Going to Twitter HQ today to launch Chez Panisse's 40th Birthday campaign to support @edibleschoolyrd (s) everywhere - thrilled but nervous!"

Is that the big announcement? Cool. But we had secretly hoped she planned to announce the launch of a new canned/frozen line of foods. Oh well.

Also, don't be nervous, Alice! The folks at Twitter are super nice. However, we urge you to avert your eyes at the Subway shop at the bottom of the building upon entry.

While you're stuffing your face with corned beef, beer, and/or rye during tomorrow's St. Patrick's Day festivities, remember to sport some green. If not, you might get pinched. (You also might get a sexual harassment lawsuit tossed your way, fellas, so keep your sausage fingers to yourself in the workplace.) Why do we pinch people for not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day? Good question. Here are a few answers we found on the glorious internet:

According to WikiAnswers:

Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle. Green is traditionally worn on St. Patrick's day to honor the Emerald Isle. Tradition holds that on that day, people who do not wear green are pinched as a reminder to wear green to honor the Emerald Isle.

Huh. That's boring. And possibly not accurate. According to the Christian Science Monitor, the tradition or pinching started in the U.S. in the 1700s:

Forgot to wear green on St. Patty’s Day? Don’t be surprised if you get pinched. No surprise, it’s an entirely American tradition that probably started in the early 1700s. St. Patrick’s revelers thought wearing green made one invisible to leprechauns, fairy creatures who would pinch anyone they could see (anyone not wearing green). People began pinching those who didn’t wear green as a reminder that leprechauns would sneak up and pinch green-abstainers.

Oh, we like that answer. Yahoo Answers also agrees that it's a U.S. tradition based in anti-leprechaun sentiment. So, please, remember to wear green tomorrow, folks.

Also, here's a handy list of San Francisco bars participating in St. Patrick's Day merriment.

In front of City Hall at a "green vehicle showcase," Mayor Gavin Newsom yesterday announced a partnership between San Francisco and Toyota to advertise their Prius plug-in hybrids. And, as with anything carrying the Green brand, Newsom gets exceptionally excited. And when Newsom gets exceptionally excited, his hands turn into politically-charged fists of fury. More so than usual. Look at him go! He looks like a older Eva Peron.

Anyway, these plug-in hybrids will hit the market in 2012. What's more, "[t]he two Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid vehicles joining San Francisco's fleet today are the first commercial fleet vehicle deliveries in Toyota's U.S. plug-in demonstration program," reports PRNewswire. "Over 150 Prius plug-in hybrid vehicles are being placed across Northern and Southern California and around the nation with universities, corporations, government agencies and in fleet applications like San Francisco."

Video below.

According to a tipster, SF Greening Director Astrid Hayarti left her position today. Our tipster writes to us, saying, "Just heard another member of Gavin's team jumped ship. Astrid Hayarti, the so-called Greening Czar, who Gav stole away from Chicago but didn't give her a budget, staff or department to work with, quit recently. I'm hoping for her sake she went back to Chicago where they know what they're doing to green their intensely urban city."

Returning to Chicago and jumping the Newsom ship, however, doesn't seem to be quite the case here. SFist talked to Newsom spokesman Tony Winnicker who confirmed Hayarti's departure.

"Hayarti had to leave [her position] to go back to Indonesia to deal with family matters," he explained. "Mayor Newsom always has great confidence in Astrid and pride in what she accomplished as Greening Director."

San Francisco launched a green product site, SFApproved.org, which recommends eco-holy cosmetics, hand sanitizers, computers, office supplies, batteries and other items. According to AP, "The recommendations are based on a review of the products' ingredients, recycled content and energy efficiency among other factors." Cool, right? The food section, however, recommends you to "AVOID butter, cream sauces, fried foods, chips, fries." So: grain of salt, folks.

Mayor Newsom and the city's Greening Director Astrid Haryati came up with these nifty plant boxes to segment the long bench that stretches along the main library right off Civic Center Plaza.

According to the Tournesol blog, "The project was done in a short time frame, so there wasn’t much time to let the plants grow in. The maintenance staff will be watering-in by hand until the plants get established. The planter will catch any run-off from the modules."

They sure looked gorgeous and green when first installed, yes. But a few months later, it's quite a different scene. Behold:

Setting himself up for countless "hot air" punchlines, Gavin Newsom "is calling for windmills throughout the city," reports KCBS. An estimated 29 of them might pop up in SF sometime in the very near future. Or not. (Although he'd like to "streamline the permit process" to get them up ASAP.) Anyway, Newsom goes on to said that the wind turbines cold be put on historical landmarks. he also emotes, "wind is a rural or suburban phenomenon and not necessarily an urban phenomenon ... We believe wind needs to be part of the urban mix of renewables. Our goal is to have 50 megawatts of renewable energy being generated within the city and county of San Francisco over the next few decades."

Today, the Obama Administration announced plans to fork over $6-plus million to AC Transit of Hayward, "to help reduce global warming, lessen America’s dependence on oil and create green jobs." The funds come from the Economic Recovery Act, and will be yet another boon to the growing eco-industry in the Bay Area.

"AC Transit is showing how investing in green transportation not only helps the planet and strengthens our economy, but also creates jobs here in the Bay Area," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The East Bay-based agency plans to use the $6.4 million booty to install several solar panels at its central maintenance facility in Hayward. And, according to the U.S Department of Transportation, this solar installation, along with AC Transit’s current solar capacity, "will produce the enough renewable electricity to generate 180 kilograms of 'green' hydrogen per day."