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Jean's Cafe
Jean’s Cafe, located in Center City Philadelphia, is setting a new standard by coupling sustainability and the fast-paced take-away culture so beloved in our east coast delis. Known for its diverse menu and welcoming atmosphere, the high-traffic cafe rings up over 500 transactions daily. By transitioning from 100% disposable foodware for dine-in to using exclusively reusable wares, Jean’s Cafe is not only reducing its environmental footprint but also realizing significant financial savings. Annually, they anticipate saving $2,063 even after factoring in water costs and labor for washing dishes. Their switch is projected to eliminate 326,898 pieces of single use disposable foodware, equating to 5,183 pounds of waste diverted from landfills, annually. Customers have responded positively to these changes, appreciating both the environmental initiative and the enhanced dining experience at Jean’s Cafe.
Packaging practices prior to ReThink Disposable:
- Single-use paper plates
- Single-use foam plates
- Single-use plastic cold cups with lids
- Single-use plastic lined paper coffee cups with plastic lids
- Single-use foam bowls with plastic lids
- Single-use plastic forks
- Single-use plastic knifes
- Single-use plastic spoons
- Single-use plastic sauce cups with lids
Recommendations Implemented:
- Ceramic plates
- Durable plastic baskets
- Durable plastic cups
- Ceramic mugs
- Ceramic bowls
- Stainless steel forks
- Stainless steel knives
- Stainless steel spoons
- Stainless steel sauce cups
Before & After
Document
PA ReThinkDisposableCaseStudy_JeansCafe.1.pdf
(486.92 KB)
Business Information:
1334 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
United States
The Bottom Line
Jean’s Cafe switched 100% of their disposable foodware to reusable for their dine-in guests, with a 1 month average pay-back period. They did not need to hire new staff, instead offered 2.5 more hours daily for current employees. The annual cost savings accounts for increase in labor and water costs of $12,000.
$2,063
annual net cost savings
326,898
disposable items reduced per year
5,183 lbs
annual waste reduction
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.
Field Canvass Internship | Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania
Calling all change-makers and aspiring advocates! Clean Water Action is now accepting applications for its summer 2024 internship program. Gain hands-on experience in the realms of politics, communications, and advocacy, while working alongside our dedicated professional outreach team. As an intern, you'll actively engage the public, igniting their passion for critical national and state campaigns to protect clean water, combat climate change, expose the impacts of oil and gas production, and discover safer alternatives to toxic chemicals.
Maria Jensen
Maria Jensen started her career in Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) in the electronic waste recycling industry, after receiving a Masters in Global Health from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and publishing research related to mercury contamination from electronic waste in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Tonyehn Verkitus
Scranton, PA
Tonyehn Verkitus is the Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, the Northeast Counties Medical Societies and host of Keystone Edition Health on WVIA TV. Her work in the nonprofit world has mostly centered on health and food though she also spent many years training organizations and communities on fundraising and telling their mission-based stories.
In 2007, Tonyehn along with other family members and friends, started Africa Community Exchange, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support an effective model of education for youth and
Randy Walsh
Pittsburgh, PA
Randall's connection to Clean Water Action began in Pittsburgh, PA in 1985 when he participated in the field canvass for the Pennsylvania Alliance for Jobs and Energy, a partner organization with Clean Water Action. He rose through the ranks, opening and running Clean Water Action’s Pittsburgh phone canvass, and then transitioned into a program role. As a Clean Water Action organizer, he led the coalition for Pittsburgh’s Earth Day 1990 event, attracting an estimated 70,000 attendees. Randall then moved to New Hampshire to establish a Clean Water Action office, focusing on