In 2010, Hayes Valley public housing resident Tyrone Mullins was 26 years old. Like many young Black men in the neighborhood, he’d been part of an ongoing turf-conflict and he’d done time in jail. He was jobless, and he was tired of the piles of garbage surrounding his home. Mullins and a friend said to their property manager, David Mauroff, “Give us a chance to earn money by cleaning up the neighborhood.”

We’re working closely with Tyrone and his peers to tell their stories, speak the truth about waste, and mobilize thousands of residents to recycle and compost for the first time. Unlike traditional documentaries that are filmed first, then edited, then shown, we continually film, edit and share an evolving story with residents, property managers, public officials and other stakeholders.

Our work secures contracts, creates jobs and reduces landfill waste. Each Green Streets worker recycles approximately 20,000 gallons of waste per month, and becomes a steward of his or her community.