In the heart of New York City, a remarkable organization is transforming school cafeterias into hubs for climate action and environmental education. Cafeteria Culture (CafCu), a BIPOC, woman-led initiative, is empowering students to tackle plastic pollution and food waste, one cafeteria at a time.
Thanks to Climate Ride’s Environmental Justice Grant, CafCu is scaling its impactful programs and reaching even more students. Their Plastic Free Lunch Day initiative has eliminated tens of millions of plastic items across 3,523 schools nationwide and growing. Their newest program, Mindful Choice Meals, brings nutrition and climate education together, successfully reducing food waste by 40% and increasing food consumption by 30% in cafeterias across NYC.
But CafCu’s impact goes beyond waste reduction. They’re also fostering a new generation of environmental advocates, working exclusively with students from frontline communities in Title I NYC Public Schools. Students in their programs learn to collect data, create videos, and advocate for change. They’re given a voice and the tools to make a real difference in their communities.
CafCu is a powerful example of how student-led initiatives can drive systemic change. With Climate Ride’s support, they’re building a more sustainable future for NYC’s schools and inspiring a new generation of environmental leaders.
Mission: CafCu uses accessible educational media (science, civics, video production, and the arts) to enable youth agency and invite their urgently needed environmental justice leadership.
“We are deeply grateful to Climate Ride for this generous grant, which fuels our efforts to turn school cafeterias into climate action hubs. This support empowers students in under-resourced communities to lead impactful environmental change, creating systemic solutions for a healthier planet. We look forward to building on this work as a Climate Ride Beneficiary Partner!” –Atusko Quirk, Executive Director
Help connect and amplify their work through socials. Social Media Handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CafeteriaCulture/
Instagram: @CafCu
Learn more > https://www.cafeteriaculture.org/