Working creatively with youth to achieve zero waste, climate-smart communities and a plastic free biosphere.
Cafeteria Culture
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DATA +ACTION litter clean-up

Take #plasticfree action with
​“Community Science” 
 for ages 8 - 98!
(solo or small group activity)
WATCH THE VIDEO!

DIY Data+Action Litter Clean Up from Cafeteria Culture on Vimeo.

Tired of seeing litter on our streets and beaches? 

- Collect litter + litter data
-Share your 
data and photos
for lasting impact
​

-Use your data to
engage policy makers
on the plastic pollution problem

​
Engage community on Zero Waste!
Invite a friend, relative or neighbor.


TEACHERS
Merge science with social studies

and get students outdoors!

STUDENTS
Earn Community Service hours
 
(more->)​
Finished? Share your data ⬇︎
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Litter clean-ups are a great way to:
  • Beautify our neighborhoods
  • Keep plastic out of our waterways
  • Reduce rats and rodents​ ​
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Litter data collection is great way to:
  • Advance policy with "community science" 
  • Determine problematic litter items
  • Grab attention of policy makers
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clean-ups + data collection
= lasting change!

Take ZERO WASTE Action
in 3 steps:

1- Be sure your location is safe,
then organize supplies & a small team
 
for street or beach litter clean-up (solo or small group)

2- Collect the litter and litter data;
 TAKE PHOTOS!

3- Upload data + photos;
post BEFORE & AFTER litter photos
on social media!
​

It's easy and fun!
Detailed directions in
"HOW TO GUIDE"
​
 (preview + download below)
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Together we can protect our health,
​environment,
​and marine wildlife.
​Read the "Safety Guide" -->
​

⬇︎View & Download ⬇︎
HOW TO GUIDE
DATA SHEET
When you finish the collection,
remember to share your data 
⬇︎
DATA INPUT - GOOGLE FORM (online)
Info for
​TEACHERS and STUDENTS ->


scroll down for inspiration⬇︎
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View and download ⬇︎ 
​"DATA SHEET" 
(2 pages)
diy_litter_cleanup_data_sheet__102120.pdf
File Size: 235 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

"How-to GUIDE" (2 pages)
diy_data__action_litter_cleanup_how_to_guide_102320.pdf
File Size: 2139 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

When you are finished,
add your data to this form!


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FOLLOW US FOR UPDATES!
​WATCH ALL OUR VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE here->
​WATCH ALL OUR VIDEOS ON VIMEO here ->
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Sample Tweets and IG posts coming soon!
Links to data input form and student permission forms.
​
Need inspiration to get started?
Watch these CafCu video shorts.
Students from CafCu's school programs have been leading street and beach litter surveys for years.
​They have been sharing their local litter data with family, friends, local business, and policy makers.!
WATCH OUR MOVIES ON YOUTUBE
Watch our MOVIES ON VIMEO

​For more inspiration and to learn more about the plastic pollution crisis,
host or attend a screening of our award winning feature documentary,

MICROPLASTIC MADNESS
​watch the trailer
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Can Litter Clean-ups with Data Collection
actually accelerate behavioral and policy change?

​

In 2016-2017, Cafeteria Culture was awarded a competitive Trash Free Waters grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency to lead a pilot program. 

COMMUNITY ARTS+MEDIA for TRASH FREE WATERS (CAM 4 TFW) was a school-community partnership and demonstration project led in three low-income, urban communities of Red Hook (PS 15 Patrick F. Daly) and East Flatbush (MS 246 Walt Whitman) in Brooklyn, and Manhattan's Alphabet City (PS 34 Franklin D. Roosevelt).

After all the actions in all three communities (including outreach, bag give aways,  student banners posted, presentations) ,the amount of litter was reduce by 40% in all communities (excluding the cigarette butt litter). 

Additionally, students presented their data to policy makers, including PS 15 K 5th grade students testifying at a NYC Council Waste Water Treatment hearing.
​
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Students from Cafeteria Culture's "Community Arts+Media for Plastic Free Waters" program at PS/MS34 in Manhattan, Lower East Side.
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"TALLY" marks are added to data sheet. Students shared their plastic bag litter data with policy makers to help get the NYC BYObag law passed.
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Student from Cafeteria Culture's "Community Arts+Media for Plastic Free Waters" program at MS246 Walt Whitman in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.
​
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Our VISION
We envision a plastic free, equitable zero waste future where landfill and incinerator garbage as we know it no longer exists;
where post consumption waste from food to packaging is drastically reduced
and what remains benefits our schools, communities, and the environment. 


Cafeteria Culture (CafCu) is a Project of The Fund for the City of New York, a charitable organization.
Founded in 2009 as Styrofoam Out of Schools.
Donations to Cafeteria Culture are eligible for charitable deductions under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Cafeteria Culture is a vendor of New York City Department of Education via Fund for the City of New York

Copyright © 2023 Cafeteria Culture