today we are at recology.brate 20 years of one of the most incredibly unique artist residency programs. we are here to learn more from one of the resident artists. welcome to the show, deborah. tell us how this program began 20 years ago. >> the program began 20 years ago. our founder was an environmentalist and an activist and an artist in the 1970's. she started these street sweeping campaigns in the city. she started with kids. they had an exhibition at city hall. city officials heard about her efforts and they invited her to this facility. we thought it would coincide with our efforts to get folks to recycle, it is a great educational tool. since then, we have had 95 professional artists come through. >> how has the program changed over the years? how has the program -- what can the public has an artist engage with? >> for the most part, we worked with metal and wood, what you would expect from a program like ours. over the years, we tried to include artists and all types of mediums. conceptual artists, at

today we are at recology. they are celebrate 20 years of one of the most incredibly

i want to thank the academy of art university, the folks at aecom, comcast, kmd architects, recology. av

i want to thank the academy of art university, the folks at aecom, comcast, kmd architects, recology. my favorite giver is anonymous. thank you, anonymous, whoever you are. now? if you have a cocktail in your hand, or you are about to find a couple, i want you to find david from the laborers. all the drinks tonight are being brought to you by laborers 261. let's give them a big round of applause. [applause] they are responsible for your hangovers. let's begin this great award. i first want to introduce cory, who is doing -- ok, we're having our first technical difficulty. i want to bring up corey marshall, who has done all the work that goes into the mfac award and the great government consulting as they pick the products to bring a lot of innovation to san francisco. cory? give cory a round of applause. [applause] >> thank you, chris. thank you so much for all of your hard work, chris. none of this could be possible without your efforts. good evening. the good government awards are incredibly important in san francisco. it's a chance for us to honor the tremendous work that happens i

have you all talked to recology about what their view of this whole thing is? >> they understand the problem. they run into the largest buybacks, one at pier 96 on the port and the one at tunnel road and they used to operate seven or eight other ones. they want to see the material handled. it's sort of there is an old garbage guy adage that you want to get your hands on everything and keep it, but they understand that their major role is providing the kind of background coverage for everything. as you were pointing out earlier, this is valuable material that picks up and moves on it's own. >> right. >> and that could mean an advantage for us in terms of that material not having to be paid for and carried by the very expensive systems. >> it would be a collaboration where you create a multi-tiered distribution system, where it ends up ultimately there, but someone makes something at each step of the way? >> actually, they said they are open to being a collector for a more kind of mobile system or a smaller subset. when you mentioned technology, i had forgotten t

recology dragged out the chipper to show us what it does with all the trees. last year more than 500 tons of christmas trees were collected in san francisco. >>> well, maybe you have noticed a high price tag at your dry cleaner's lately. as don ford shows us, part of it has to do with those wire hangers. >>> reporter: who would have thought the simple act of dropping off your dry-cleaning would involve international politics. steve sadler and his wife janice have owned a cleaner's in albany for 32 years. >> most all the hangers we buy today are made in vietnam or china. >> reporter: the u.s. commerce department says vietnam and china have flooded the markets forcing nearly all u.s. manufacturers out of business. so the feds slapped a 187% tariff on the imported hangers more than doubling the cost to dry cleaners. >> and that certainly did drive the price of hangers up. we were paying probably 4 to 5 cents a hanger and now we're paying anywheres from 8 to 9 upwards of 10 cents a hanger. >> reporter: the co-owner janice says customers notice the price increase.

but the city and the trash company recology dragged out the chipper to show us what it does.hey say all those little chips will be converted into alternative energy fuel. >> we want the tree kept separate on the curb with the regular carts. we want the trees be free of ornaments, tinsel or lights. >> last year, more than 500 tons of christmas trees collected in san francisco. the program's 26th year, starting january 2 to the 15th. >>> today is the first day of kwanzaa. there was a free concert to kick off the holiday. the tradition dates back to the '60s to honor family, community and culture. the festival continues through january 1. >>> starbucks getting political. the could have the chain is chain is asking workers in the d.c. area to write "come together" on the cups to suggest to lawmakers to come it a budget deal and avoid the "fiscal cliff." >>> unexpectedly falling in the naughty list. christmas present that became a family's triple x surprise. >> for christmas yesterday, a lot of you tried to take those presents outside and met one some rainfall. but today we are lo

. >> when you are talking about recology, do you have the only sculpture garden at the top? >> it is based on work that was done many years ago in new york. it is the only kind of structured, artist program. weit is beautiful. a lot of the plants you see were pulled out of the garbage, and we use our compost to transplant them. the pathway is lined with rubble from the earthquake from the freeways we tour about 5000 people a year to our facility, adults and children. we talk about recycling and conservation. they can meet the artists. >> fantastic. let's go meet some of your current artists. here we are with lauren. can you tell us how long have been here so far and what you're working on? >> we started our residency on june 1, so we came into the studio then and spent most of the first couple weeks just digging around in the trash. i am continuing my body of work, kind of making these hand- embroidered objects from our day-to-day life. >> can you describe some of the things you have been making here? this is amazing. >> i think i started a lot of my work about the qualities