Cafeteria Culture

Cafeteria Culture (CafCu), founded in 2009 as Styrofoam Out of Schools, catalyzed the complete elimination of styrofoam trays from all NYC public schools and ten other large urban school districts, resulting in half a billion toxic and polluting styrofoam trays diverted per year from landfills, incinerators and student meals.

In December 2013, the NYC Council voted unanimously to ban styrene foam from the entire city! CafCu's role was critical to this success, collaborating with 15 other nonprofits and taking the lead in grassroots lobbying.

CafCu produced our first feature documentary, Microplastic Madness, which follows the journey of 5th graders from PS 15, living in Red hook, Brooklyn on the frontline of Climate Change as they take extraordinary action to stop plastic pollution, including leading the first Plastic Free Lunch Day in a New York City school (learn more at MicroplasticMadness.org)