FREMONT, CA – For the last year, Clean Water Fund’s ReThink Disposable program has been working with the City of Fremont to reduce the use of single-use disposable foodware by local restaurants. ReThink’s Certified Senior Outreach Specialists reached out to 173 restaurants across the city and provided technical assistance that allowed 15 restaurants to make the switch to sustainable reusable foodware for their dine-in guests.
Julie Wedge, California ReThink Disposable Director, noted this is not the first time the program has worked in Fremont. In 2022, the team converted the Gurdwara Temple’s food service program to 100% reusables, saving the temple $46,000 annually and eliminating 8,974 pounds of trash from the waste stream.
“The food scene in Fremont is incredibly diverse,” she said. "The number of really great local restaurants we were able to assist made this project a joy, and we are proud of the collaborative effort to bring sustainable reuse to the food service industry.”
The City of Fremont is committed to sustainability, and the food service community was receptive to change, with significant results. Just considering three out of the 15 converted restaurants – Voca Coffee, New World Gourmet, and Falafel, Etc. – this program has led to $16,850 in annual savings and the elimination of 265,486 individual pieces of single-use plastic from the waste stream. This represents 5,777 pounds – the weight of a Ford F150! – of waste that will never hit the landfill.
Rum Alvarez, Manager at Falafel, Etc., remarked, "It feels like a positive step for the restaurant and the environment. We like the fact that it gives our guests a more quality feel and enhances their dining experience for the better, while reducing our carbon footprint and lowering our overhead. Can't beat that!"
With the growing concerns about single-use plastic and the current administration’s rollback of key environmental protections, the work of ReThink becomes more critical by the day. Unlike many other reduction efforts, this program is both environmentally friendly and cost effective for the businesses that take advantage of the incentives offered by our contract partners. We focus our efforts in historically marginalized communities that experience environmental and social injustice, and over 90% of the businesses we convert are BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or women owned. Please reach out to us if you would like more information about Clean Water Fund or the ReThink Disposable program. You can find our Fremont case studies on our website.
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Clean Water Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose programs reach and involve more than one million households each year through outreach, education, advocacy, organizing, and policy action at the local, state, and national levels. Clean Water Fund's programs build upon and compliment those of Clean Water Action to support the shared goal of fishable, swimmable, and drinkable water for all.