ReThink Disposable in California

ReThink Disposable, a program of Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund, prevents trash before it starts by working with local governments, businesses and institutions, and consumers to minimize single use disposable packaging in food service to conserve resources, prevent waste and ocean litter pollution.

 

Blog Posts

Related Case Studies

Samara, Parra’s Employee

Parra’s, Oakland

Parra’s is a traditional Mexican restaurant in the heart of the Fruitvale. Parra’s was already using reusable foodware for their dine-in guests but were still relying on plastic straws and sauce cups. Replacing them with stainless steel reusable foodware will positively impact the community diverting over 41,000 pieces of harmful disposable plastics annually.
Hogar Latino Panaderia Y Restaurant Co-Owner Hugo Barajas Jimenez

Hogar Latino Panaderia Y Restaurant, Oakland

Located in the heart of the Fruitvale on International Boulevard, Hogar Latino Panaderia Y Restaurant serves Honduran and Salvadoran food with an amazing juice bar and, arguably, some of the best tamales in Oakland. After switching to 100% resusable dine-in foodware, they'll be saving $3,120 annually!
Socorro Martinez, Co-Owner La Torta Loca

La Torta Loca

Located on International Boulevard,you will find La Torta Loca a quaint, mainly take-out restaurant that serves delicious tortas, sopas, and standard Fruitvale fare of burritos and tacos. Since their business is 75% to-go, we only converted 25% of their disposables to reusable, and yet La Torta Loca shows that even small reuse changes can add up and save restaurant owners money.

Publications

Through the Eyes of the Food Service Operator: A survey of Alameda County food businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Clean Water Fund surveyed Alameda County, CA restaurants that had previously adopted reusable options through the ReThink Disposable source reduction process. Core values around sustainability remain strong, however there is a clear need to educate both food operators and the public that reusables are just as safe as disposables .

ReThink Disposable: Unpackaging Alameda

With a grant from the California Ocean Protection Council, ReThink Disposable partnered with the City of Alameda to create a model for “unpackaging a city.”

ReThink Disposable Case Study | Manila Eatery

Manila Eatery is successfully implementing these ReThink Disposable cost saving practices: Switched from single-use plastic plates to reusable plates, and replaced two different sizes of single-use plastic bowls with reusable bowls.
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