Recipe for #plasticfree Change
4-steps, starting with a home waste audit!

When people first learn about the plastic pollution crisis,
they want to take action,
They often ask, "Where do I start?” 

We suggest starting with a simple 
​One Week Home Waste Audit⬇︎
(or a Classroom Waste Audit)

 
This is an easy way to get a picture of the amounts and types of plastics you and your household actually use each week, and what specific steps you can take to reduce the use of each specific item.

1.  Save all your single-use plastic packaging for one week.
2. Lay out all the items on a tarp or an old sheet and organize the items by the categories #1-3 below.
3. Photograph the items as arranged. Share your photos on social media and tag @cafcu on Instagram (@cafeteriaCu on Twitter). Tag stores, manufacturers and policy makers too!

Your visual data is very helpful for sparking #plasticfree change!
            

Christian (7th grader from Queens, NYC) organizing his family's plastic packaging from one week.

Christian categorized and labeled items. His mom said, "But how can we replace the plastic bread bags?". It got her thinking about alternatives to plastic :)

Next, move on to these 4 steps:

1.     PERSONAL/ HOME: items you have control over; you can reduce  simply by refusing to take.
Your consumer dollars have power. Consider which plastic items are part of your shopping routine, such as plastic packaging, bags, utensils, and cups, that are easy to avoid. 
ACTION IDEAS:

• Plan ahead! Bring your own (BYO) bags, utensils, straw, and cup; when possible, buy food and other items from bulk containers and buy produce that is not pre-wrapped in plastic.
• At checkout, put your purchases into your own reusable bags; and refuse to take plastic straws and plastic cutlery with to-go orders.

(You maybe already be doing step #1. Why not challenge yourself to move onto steps 2 & 3?)

Maggie (MICROPLASTIC MADNESS movie) showing reusable bags at home.

Student at PS 15 in Brooklyn eating school lunch with her reusable bamboo fork.

Students from MS 246 Walt Whitman in East Flatbush, Brooklyn with reusable water bottles.

​
​2.     LOCAL SHOPPING: single-use plastics that are routinely included with your to-go food or retail store purchases, such as plastic bags, straws, cutlery and, excess packaging.  These items are often not needed or replaceable with more sustainable choices. Store managers may not be thinking about this. 
ACTION IDEAS: 

• Talk to the store manager. and suggest reduction of their single-use plastic items; be sure to follow-up with an email and CC the owner.  Share our “Plastic Pollution Crisis” points!
• Encourage the store manager to talk about plastic reduction at staff meetings; they can save money by having the cashier ask before handing out single-use cutlery and straws.
• Suggest to the manager to ask their supplier about alternative, plastic free products.
• Make a "Straws by Request Only" sign, bring it to the store and ask the manger (see our video for inspiration); make other signs to encourage reusables, such as “BYO utensil, bag and BYO cup.”
• Urge store owners to stop pre-packaging items in plastic (such as bananas, other produce, clothing, accessories and so much more) and ask deli managers to hand out utensils, straws, napkins  by REQUEST ONLY! Offer to make them a sign to put on their counter.

Students from MS 246 Walt Whitman in Brooklyn talking to bodega owner about reducing plastic bags and plastic straws.

CafCu high school intern, Georgeanne, asking owner of Veselka (East Village, NYC) for permission to put out signs to reduce plastic straw use.

​3.     MANUFACTURERS: Single-use plastics packaging used for shipping, and as part of the design of containers, and excessive, non-recyclable plastic wrap used for produce, snack foods, clothing, and electronics. 
ACTION IDEAS: 

• Tell your favorite brands to #uselessplastic !! Remember to say why (inspiration here) and to make it personal! Tag brands on social media with photos of their over-packaged and polluting single-use plastics. Write letters, call customer service, and lead awareness campaigns to reduce excess plastic packaging and plastic pollution.
• Organize a BRAND AUDIT with your community (see #breakfreefromplastic 's Brand Audit Toolkit)

follow us for more ideas!

Keep going! 
This part is MOST IMPORTANT for system-wide change
​ (***youth-led action urgently needed here)!
4.     POLICY:
School food policies that eliminate polystyrene (aka, styrofoam) trays and other single-use plastics, such as mustard and ketchup packets, are also urgently needed and an excellent starting point for students, parents/guardians, & school staff for climate-smart change on a hyper-local level!

Above : BEFORE + AFTER Plastic Waste Audit 
at PS 15 in Brooklyn. a school with composting,
When single-use plastic items and wasted food are reduced, the trash can can be turned upside down!

Well crafted local, state and national laws can stop plastic pollution “upstream” and lead to long-lasting change. These include bans on single-use plastics, such as shopping bags, straws, utensils, foam cups, as well as laws to hold manufacturers responsible for the end-life of their products (aka, Extended Producer Responsibility). 

ACTION IDEAS: 
SCHOOL FOOD - Meet with your school food director and principal to suggest reducing single-use plastics in your school cafeteria. If you can collect data first, you will have a stronger case for change!  Suggest a PLASTIC FREE LUNCH DAY, as led by NYC 5th grade students in our movie, MICROPLASTIC MADNESS!

LEGISLATION - Call, write, or ask to meet with your local, state, and national elected representatives! Share your data from home and schools waste audits and street litter surveys. Let them know that you support zero waste policies, such as laws, fees, bans and other incentives that reduce single-use plastic waste (and promote composting and other initiatives that reduce food waste); share WHY this is important to you and your community.  
​
See our TAKE ACTION Page ->
Learn about the PLASTIC POLLUTION CRISIS here -

Brooklyn PS 15 students conduct a plastic waste audit after lunch as part of Cafeteria Culture's school STEaM learning program.

Watch our short video of PS 15K 5th grade students testifying at a New York City Council hearing with their own local data!

If this all sounds intimidating:
- Start an Eco Club or Plastic Free Lunch Club at your school and inspire others to help you!
- Use our Teach-in Tool ⬇︎ to educate your peers, school staff and electeds. 
- Host a screening of MICROPLASTIC MADNESS.
- Create a plastic waste installation or giant data puppets to build momentum for community and youth-led zero waste, #plasticfree action!

​MORE IDEAS AND RESOURCES

Need inspiration?
Watch MICROPLASTIC MADNESS! (see the trailer here-)
Educate others! Host a screening of MICROPLASTIC MADNESS ->

Learn about the PLASTIC POLLUTION CRISIS here ->
Lead a PLASTIC FREE LUNCH DAY at school or work!
Learn how ->

TAKE (ZERO WASTE) ACTION here->
 our free MICROPLASTIC MADNESS TOOLKIT - for grades 3-12
​​
FIND MORE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES HERE ->

**Gauri's Student Guide for Getting Styrofoam Out of Your School!
How to Drive Change In Your School Cafeteria - A Guide for High School Students,