Case Studies

Harrington Elementary School in Lexington, Massachusetts, serving 363 students, became the district’s second school to adopt reusable cafeteria trays and cutlery after replacing a broken dishwasher with a new energy-efficient model. Funded through a combination of state budget support, a community grant, and district funds, the $80,000+ investment improved kitchen efficiency, upgraded infrastructure, and streamlined operations.

La Enramada Restaurant y Taqueria is a community favorite in San Jose, California for Brazilian caldo de pollo and authentic enchiladas Michoacanas. With the help of our Zero Waste Specialists to convert away from single-use items, La Enramada is eliminating over 360,000 items from the waste stream every year and saving $15,427 annually!

Thai Chili Express is a long-time favorite in San Jose, California where locals enjoy traditional Thai cuisine as well as a variety of vegetarian options. With the help of our Zero Waste Specialists to convert away from single-use items, Thai Chili is eliminating 614.8 pounds from the waste stream every year and saving over $1,300 annually!

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. With the help of our Zero Waste Specialists, Korean Palace is eliminating 240.1 pounds of waste annually and saving $444 per year that can be reinvested in other areas of the business.

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.

The Valley Shore YMCA holds the Cedar Lake Triathlon series each summer in Chester, Connecticut. At each event in the series, the YMCA provided plastic bottled water and disposable cups. ReThink Disposable helped them make the switch to reusable silicone water bottles and reusable cups instead! Our New England Zero Waste Organizer collected the used bottles and cups for sanitization and reuse at the following events - making 3 of the 5 events in the 2024 series zero-waste!