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University Taqueria, Berkeley
With the help of our ReThink Disposable Zero Waste Specialists, University Taqueria is eliminating 52,664 items from the waste stream every year, and the business is saving $1,224 annually, which can be reinvested into other upgrades to the space. They were able to cut their overall disposable usage by 55% annually and totally eliminate disposables from dine-in service!
Business Profile:
University Taqueria is a community favorite in Berkeley, California. Locals and university students alike enjoy the standard comfort foods: tacos, burritos, and incredible quesadilla plates that keep the neighborhood fed and satisfied! Their authentic flan dessert is something that you don’t want to pass up when you're enjoying a meal at this local eatery.
Packaging practices prior to ReThink Disposable:
- Bioplastic drink cups
- Plastic sauce cups
- Plastic forks
- Plastic spoons
Recommendations Implemented:
- Reusable SAN plastic cups
- Stainless steel sauce cups
- Stainless steel forks
- Stainless steel spoons
Before & After
Document
Business Information:
2021 University Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
United States
The Bottom Line
52,664
disposable items reduced per year
55%
reduction in usage of disposable items
$1224
net annual savings
The program has been very helpful ... It helps us a lot, especially because we are saving money and there is less trash for us. You are making everything easier for us! ... We've [already] been buying fewer forks and spoons since we have the metal ones, and the water dispenser is perfect!
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.
Casa Do Petisco, Berkeley
With the help of our ReThink Disposable Zero Waste Specialists, Casa Do Petisco is eliminating 24,074 individual pieces of single use disposables (754 pounds, or the weight of a baby grand piano!) from the waste stream and will be saving $3,005 annually, which can be reinvested into the business. They were able to cut their disposable usage by 52% annually.
Casa Do Petisco is another example of how just a few changes can make a big impact.
Business Profile:
Casa Do Petisco has become a place of community, bringing Brazilian cultural staples, flare, and food to the Elmood District of Berkeley. Not only do they have a restaurant and local market (Berkeley Organic Market) including Brazilian goods, but they also regularly host open community events with food and live music.
Packaging practices prior to ReThink Disposable:
- Fiber clamshells
- Disposable coffee cups
- Coffee cup lids
- Paper sauce cups
- Plastic packaged cutlery
Recommendations Implemented:
- Ceramic bowls
- Stoneware coffee mugs
- Stainless steel sauce cups
- Stainless steel forks & knives
Before & After
Document
Business Information:
2642 Ashby Ave
Berkeley, CA 94705
United States
The Bottom Line
Casa Do Pestico switched 52% of their disposable foodware to reusable for their dine-in guests, which results in over $3,000 in savings annually for the restaurant.
$3,005
net annual savings
24,074
disposable items reduced per year
52%
reduction in use of disposables
The biggest difference I've noticed is in our purchasing of coffee cups, to-go clamshells, and to-go silverware. We love having real plates, bowls, and silverware for our guests. It elevates their experience of our business and helps us reduce waste. We especially loved that you worked with us to pick items that fit our practical needs and aesthetics.
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.
The Warfield, San Francisco
The Warfield, originally built in the 1920s, was a vaudeville and movie palace and became a 2,250-person capacity concert hall in 1979 when Bill Graham Presents booked a run of shows with Bob Dylan. The Warfield made the switch from single-use plastic and paper cups to exclusively using reusable r.Cups, available in various sizes (5, 9, 12, 16, and 24-ounce sizes).
Business Profile:
During a 6-month service period with r.Cup, spanning from May to October, The Warfield incurred a cost of $25,800 for r.Cup services. To offset this cost, The Warfield implemented a 3 percent sustainability fee for each drink sold in an r.Cup, resulting in revenue of more than $30,000 since the launch of r.Cup in May 2023. This revenue has the potential to turn r.Cup into a profit center for any venue.
Taking into account r.Cup services, income from the sustainability fee, and elimination of purchasing single-use disposable cups, The Warfield anticipates annual net-earnings of more than $33,000 that will go towards sustaining the reusable cup service into the future.
Read more about The Warfield in San Francisco Music Venues Raise the Bar for Sustainability: Case study on a reusable cup pilot at three San Francisco venues.
Before & After
Document
Business Information:
982 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States
The Bottom Line
204,800
Single-Use Cups Eliminated Annually
93%
Return Rate
12,700
Pounds Of Refuse Diverted Annually
Things have gone wonderfully and we can’t be happier to be part of the initiative.
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.
Emily Plunkett
Emily first joined Clean Water Action in 2023 as the Office Manager in Ann Arbor, MI then moved to the National Communications team in 2024. Before Clean Water, she received her Master's degree in chemistry with a focus on analytical methods and materials science research. Emily has also volunteered with the Virginia Scientist-Community Interface, co-authoring academic papers, public comments, and technical white papers.
Emily has a passion for native plants and sci-fi/fantasy media, and an even stronger passion for her cat, Sharkey.
Emma Weis
Emma joined Clean Water Action in fall 2023 and stepped into the role of Climate Justice Organizer in the Boston office in winter 2024. In this role, she focuses on advancing equitable climate solutions that prioritize frontline communities.