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Clean Water Action's Annual Celebration: The Fun is in the Fight!
We invite you to join us for an evening of community and joy at Clean Water Action's Annual Celebration: The Fun is in the Fight!, Thursday, June 12th.
Conmunities Over Corporations - Michigan Capitol Day 2025
Across the country and here in Michigan, the attacks are escalating—on our freedoms, our schools, our paychecks, our healthcare, and our very democracy. While billionaires and lobbyists write the rules, working people are left to pick up the pieces. On Wednesday, April 23, we're sending a message: we're fighting back.
Bedford Public Schools, Bedford, MA
Bedford Public Schools, located in Bedford, Massachusetts, serve approximately 2,500 students across four schools: Lt. Eleazer Davis Elementary (PK–2), Lt. Job Lane Elementary (3–5), John Glenn Middle School (6–8), and Bedford High School (9–12). Approximately 1,400 lunches are served daily across the district.
Thanks to a generous donation from PlasticFreeRestaurants.org, the schools’ polystyrene (foam) lunch trays were traded for Ahimsa stainless steel reusable trays in December 2024. This was the final phase of a district-wide cafeteria waste reduction program; since 2023, the district has implemented a food share table, and separating recycling, food scraps, and liquids from true trash.
Read The Full Case Study Here (PDF)
ReThink Disposable is a program of Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund conducted in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and government agencies. Generous support is provided by a changing list of public and private funders. To learn more about the program, its partners, and funders, visit: www.rethinkdisposable.org.
Packaging practices prior to ReThink Disposable:
Single-use expanded polystyrene 5-compartment tray
Recommendations Implemented:
Durable stainless-steel 5-compartment tray
Before & After
Document
MA-Bedford-ReThink-Case-Study.pdf
(981.12 KB)
Business Information:
97 McMahon Rd
Bedford, MA 01730
United States
The Bottom Line
$11,777.40
annual net cost savings
261,720
disposable items reduced per year
5,796 lbs.
annual waste reduction
In the Lane school, we have gone from 18 bags of trash a lunch day down to 6. The reusable trays have vastly reduced the amount of garbage thrown out and have actually streamlined the whole lunchtime custodial operation.
Reducing Single-Use Food Packaging
ReThink Disposable works with local governments, businesses and institutions, and consumers of single use food packaging to inspire a cultural shift away from single-use "throwaway" lifestyle.
Shish Grill (Video)
As a result of implementing ReThink Disposable’s recommendations, Shish Grill reduced the use of disposable foodware items targeted for reduction or elimination by an average of 82%, preventing 73,559 disposable foodware items from operations every year. Shish Grill earned an ongoing annual cost savings of $974 and reduced annual waste by 350 pounds!
Business Profile:
Shish Grill is located in San Ramon, California and is owned by Nancy Annan. Shish Grill is a casual Mediterranean / Lebanese restaurant that serves amazing falafel, hummus, chicken shawarma wraps, kabobs and gyros. Much of their business is made up of business people who are seeking out a good lunch. They also have a strong catering presence in the area.
Packaging practices prior to ReThink Disposable:
- Dine-in customers served on a mix of reusable and disposable foodware like a reusable plate with reusable utensils, but disposable side sauce cups for items like hummus
- Disposable Styrofoam cups offered for water and soda with lids and straws at a self-serve station
- Bulk condiments available at each table
- To-go orders placed in Styrofoam or plastic clamshells and bags with items like disposable utensils at a self-serve station
- Customers bussed their own tables and placed the reusable items in a bus tub above the garbage can
Recommendations Implemented:
- Replaced Styrofoam cups and plastic lids with reusable cups for water and soda
- Reusable sauce cups used in place of disposable ones
- Made wrapped straws and disposable to-go items by request only
- Signs were installed to remind customers to not throw away the sauce cups and utensils
Styrofoam cups for water were eliminated. Plastic sauce cups, soda and water cup lids, and wrapped straws were drastically reduced by implementing a reusable sauce cup and beverage cup for customers who dine onsite. A sign was placed on the trash can to remind customers to return their reusables for washing into the bus tubs. Nancy Annan spent $79.84 to purchase 36 reusable plastic cups and 60 reusable sauce cups to implement the recommended best management practices.
Before & After
Document
Business Information:
1061 Market Pl. A1
San Ramon, CA 94583
United States
The Bottom Line
$974
in annual savings
350 pounds
of waste reduced annually
73,559
disposable items reduced per year
First of all, your dishes are going to look a lot better, more presentable and more on the upscale side. And you’re going to save a lot of money. No one hates to do that. You work hard for your money, so saving will go a long way. Third of all, I mean, you’re going green, help the environment as well.
Video URL
Video file
Reducing Single-Use Food Packaging
ReThink Disposable works with local governments, businesses and institutions, and consumers of single use food packaging to inspire a cultural shift away from single-use "throwaway" lifestyle.