Empowering youth to creatively achieve zero-waste schools
and climate smart communities
with citizen science, civic action, media and arts!

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innovative
​ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
and ACTION

​Students in our programs debate, ask questions, collect data, and tell their powerful stories about plastic street litter that becomes toxic marine pollution. (more ->) 
​Watch LITTER MONSTERS on Vimeo here ->

​WATCH ALL OUR VIDEOS ON VIMEO here ->
​WATCH ALL OUR VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE here->
​
Watch on YouTube->; Watch on Vimeo ->
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NO-Styro Foam puppet

AWARDS

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CafCu + 99 international sustainability innovation
NO-Styro Foam puppet

GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY
and VICTORIES!

STYROFOAM OUT OF SCHOOLS

​Cafeteria Culture's 
STYROFOAM OUT OF SCHOOLS campaign catalyzed the complete elimination
of foam trays from NYC schools
and the 5 other largest urban school districts
NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, and Dallas divert
1/2 a BILLION foam trays annually 
from landfills, incinerators, and student meals! 

6 large school districts did it.
​  ​
Your school can too!
​Styrofoam Out of Schools - learn more->
No-Styrofoam Puppets - NYC
Cafcu Volunteer Puppeteers with giant No-Styrofoam Puppets

Toxic and polluting plastic foam 
contaminates
our oceans, wildlife and bodies!

​Keep Styrofoam Banned in NYC!
Take Action; Learn More ->

NYC Bag Bill

TAKE ACTION now!
NYC Council voted YES,
on the #BYObag bill,  
​
but some NY State Policymakers are trying to block the bill!
#StopPreemption

NYC Bag Bill Rally - NEST 3rd graders
NEST+m 3rd graders at New York City Hall Bag Bill Rally, April 2016

Read the latest update here and TAKE ACTIONl

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Tompkins Square Middle School student, Rebeca, asking NYC Council to vote "yes" for the bag fee (April 2016, City Hall).
8th grade students at NY City Hall bag rally
MS246 K Walt Whitman students, Shazia, Rachel, Nerlande, & Tiana, speaking personally and passionately on NYC plastic litter with NYC Councilmember Lander (April 2016, City Hall).
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Donate to Cafeteria Culture here
Support environmental-STEaM, education in underserved public schools
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INSTAGRAM @CafCu
TWITTER @CafeteriaCu
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School Programs
ARTS+ACTION

Zero Waste Cafeterias  
 Cafeteria Rangers  and Make Change Messaging 

Watch on Youtube ->; Watch on Vimeo ->
ARTS+ACTION school programs - creative hands-on learning, student leadership, plus teaching the WHY with HOW! learn more ->
CONTACT US to find out how to bring ARTS+ACTION to your school.

Lights, Camera, Civic Action
Students lead on the NYC bag bill

Watch on Youtube -> ; Watch on Vimeo ->
PS34 5th graders from ourARTS+MEDIA for Climate Action program take action on NYC's plastic bag problem, then:
TAKE ACTION here! Let's get NYC's #BYObag bill passed! 
Donate to Cafeteria Culture here
Click here to make a tax deductible donation
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Youth IMPACT Media 
learn more about Trash Free Waters here ->

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The Story of Aliana and Joe - plastic in fish?

Watch on YouTube; Watch ​on Vimeo->

The Dark Beauty of the Beads - #beadfree

Watch on Youtube-> Watch ​on Vimeo->

Journey of Plastic Litter  

Watch on YouTube; Watch ​on Vimeo->

SORTIN' It OUT, the music video!  (watch it)       

Watch ​on Vimeo->
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read THE LATEST CafCu News here ->

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In the News!

Virgin Airlines blog features Cafeteria Culture

Every day, “Cafeteria Rangers” appointed from the student body oversee the post-lunch recycling and sorting of food scraps and packaging. While learning about recycling and sorting, the students also practise communication and leadership skills, and design arts and media based advocacy campaigns, such as giant puppets and video shorts. (read more ->)
"The Lower East Side school, at 111 Columbia St., achieved its goal in partnership with Cafeteria Culture, a nonprofit that has collaborated with government, environmental groups and educational institutions to promote greener diningware and zero-waste cafeterias. The organization helped the school establish its Cafeteria Ranger Program, a zero-waste-based initiative that educates children about the environmental consequences and benefits of trash recycling, explained Mendez."

Accolades!

PS/MS34 M - Cafcu students
presented to delegates from China

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The US State Department and the US EPA invited Cafeteria Culture and our students to present to delegates from China on community-based, upstream solutions to reduce plastic street litter, which contributes to a rapidly increasing global marine pollution plight.

Cafeteria Culture at the
United Nations

Cafeteria Culture Executive Director, Debby Lee Cohen (top) and Media Director, Atsuko Quirk (bottom) presented at the United Nations Headquarters in NYC in June as part of the 17th Meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-17) - Marine Debris, Plastics and Microplastics.

CafCu Kids in HBO series,  
"SAVING MY TOMORROW" 

Pharrell Williams + Cafeteria Culture Change Makers on HBO
PS 34 M students, CafCu ARTS+ACTION alum, interview Pharrell Williams for HBO.

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JAPAN - ZERO WASTE INSPIRATION

SCHOOL LUNCH IN JAPAN
directed by Atsuko Quirk,
CafCu's Media Director
15 MILLION VIEWS ​
​on YouTube!
WATCH MORE CAFCU MOVIES ->
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION