RECOLOGY: Zero Accidents. Zero Injuries.
For more than 100 years, the people of San Francisco have known Recology through the men and women behind the wheel. Long before recycling became a movement, Recology drivers were a familiar sight on city streets, serving neighborhoods and helping keep San Francisco clean.
As part of Recology’s centennial celebration, we turned the spotlight on the people residents know best—the drivers themselves.
Operating more than 350 trucks each day and collecting over 2,500 tons of material, Recology’s work depends on a vast network of heavy equipment, vehicles, and facilities where safety is essential. Rather than relying on traditional training materials, we created a peer-to-peer safety program featuring drivers sharing their own experiences, insights, and best practices.
The result was a series of engaging safety films that transformed procedures into personal stories, reinforcing a simple but critical goal:
Zero Accidents. Zero Injuries.
Because after 100 years of serving San Francisco, the most important thing Recology delivers is its people safely home.
Program Concept & Strategy | Scriptwriting | Video Direction | Editorial & Design | Client Management
RECOLOGY | Safety Program Trailer
“Everybody hears us, nobody sees us”
Reframing safety as a skill, not a task.
Through exploratory interviews, I discovered that the employees at Recology take great pride in their skills. This sense of pride is deeply rooted in the history and purpose of the company. Recology's rich history, combined with its mission to see a world without waste, serves as a powerful motivator for its employees to excel in their work and be proud of their contributions. They view their job as more than just a means of earning a paycheck; it is a demonstration of their expertise and a way to make a positive impact on the environment. By reframing safety as a skill and highlighting their expertise through peer-to-peer guidance videos, we tapped into this sense of pride and fostered a culture of safety that resonated deeply with all employees.
100 Year Anniversary Celebration Event Video
Celebrating 100 Years of Service
From the Gold Rush to the 1906 earthquake, the Summer of Love to the technology revolution, Recology has grown alongside a city defined by reinvention.
Now San Francisco is leading another revolution, one that will reshape how businesses serve communities and how humanity cares for the planet.
In this story, there are no garbage men, customer service representatives, or route supervisors. There are environmental ambassadors. Community educators. Sustainability leaders.
People united by a shared belief: A world without waste is possible.
Essential worker. Essential father.
Cenobio Orpeza. Essential worker. Essential father.
For Recology’s 100th anniversary, San Francisco artist Christo Orpeza honored the man who inspired him most—his father, Cenobio.
The oldest active Recology driver still on the job, Cenobio embodies a story shared by generations of immigrants who came to America seeking opportunity. Through decades of hard work and commitment, he helped provide his family the chance to pursue their own ambitions and create a life beyond what was possible before.
More than a portrait of one man, the artwork celebrates the thousands of workers whose dedication has helped build San Francisco while creating a better future for their families.
