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Korean Palace
Korean Palace was already using as much reusable foodware as they thought possible for their dine-in and banquet customers. As part of a community case study, we like to add one restaurant that makes small changes in their reuse plan, like Korean Palace, that only needed to convert disposable chopsticks and sauce cups. We can see even with small changes there is a large impact.
With the help of our ReThink Disposable Zero Waste Specialists, Korean Palace is eliminating 240 pounds (the weight of a competition winning pumpkin!) from the waste stream, and the business is saving $444 annually that can be reinvested into other upgrades to the space. We can see that they were able to cut their dine-in disposable usage by 19%, now only utilizing single-use for take-out. Korean Palace is now diverting over 10,000 pieces of single-use disposable foodware from the waste stream annually!
With generous support from Silicon Valley Community Foundation, our team has taken ReThink Disposable to San Jose. We teamed up with three restaurants in the San Jose community — Korean Palace, La Enramada, and Thai Chili — to reduce single-use disposable waste by over 381,376 individual pieces and over 5,695 pounds annually. After the conversions to resuable items, this group of restaurants will collectively be saving over $17,000 every year by purchasing fewer disposables — dramatically reducing plastic pollution in their operations, and providing real-time examples of businesses that are both eco-friendly and economical in San Jose.
Business Profile:
Korean Palace is a family-friendly restaurant and banquet hall in San Jose, California. They enjoy hosting events and welcome community to enjoy their delicious Korean cuisine. Their best sellers are the authentic Hot Pot BiBimBap and their delicious seafood pancakes. The restaurant utilizes an Auto-Chlor dishwasher and has been able to seamlessly incorporate their new reusable foodware with their system.
Packaging practices prior to ReThink Disposable:
- Branded disposable chopsticks
- 2 oz. Plastic sauce cups
- 4 oz. Plastic sauce cups
Recommendations Implemented:
- Stainless steel chopsticks
- 2 oz. Stainless steel sauce cups
- 4 oz. Stainless steel sauce cups
Before & After
Document
Business Information:
2297 Stevens Creek Blvd
San Jose, CA 95128
United States
The Bottom Line
Korean Palace switched 19% of their disposable foodware to reusable for their dine-in guests, which corresponds to over 10,000 individual single-use items that are no longer being thrown away every year.
$444
net annual savings
10,235
disposable items reduced per year
240 lbs
annual waste reduction
We’re thrilled to switch to Rethink Disposable’s reusable chopsticks, rests, and sauce cups. The heavy weight and elegant styling feel just like what we use at home. Our only worry? They’re so nice, someone might want to take them! Still, we’re excited to make this change and help reduce the number of trees being cut down.
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.
NJ Finance & Development Associate | Hybrid in Elizabeth, NJ
Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund are seeking a full-time Finance & Development Associate to support our programs, operations, and fundraising efforts in New Jersey. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to meaningful environmental campaigns while ensuring smooth financial and administrative operations. The Finance & Development Associate will work closely with the New Jersey team to manage administrative and financial processes and help coordinate fundraising activities, including events, donor appeals, and grant applications.
Eastern Pennsylvania Director | Hybrid in Philadelphia, PA
Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund are seeking an experienced full-time Eastern Pennsylvania Director to lead our Philadelphia office team on health-related environmental issues in Philadelphia and southeast Pennsylvania. The primary responsibility of this position will be to lead local community-based campaigns, with a focus on environmental justice communities primarily low-income communities of color. We are looking for candidates with the ability to effectively manage a group of dedicated team members, collaborate with community partners on successful community environmental programs, and develop community engagement strategies to mobilize residents to take action.
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.