A MOVEMENT FOR JOY AND SUSTAINABILITY: REUSABLE DISHWARE FOR A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
By Kira Telgen, Blue Daisi’s Project Assistant
For their annual Juneteenth Celebration this year, the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) collaborated with Reuse Seattle to bring reusable dishware to its food trucks. Our team at Blue Daisi Consulting led the planning and coordination for this event to ensure this collaborative effort was a success.
The Reuse Seattle and Perennial Zero Waste Team showcasing a dishware return bin.
The celebration, held at Judkins Park just north of the museum, featured live performances, a community expo, and a conversation series. This year’s theme, A Movement for Joy, was embodied with sports drills and clinics, group fitness classes, and a skate to freedom party where guests could check out roller skates.
In addition, local organizations and groups such as the Friends of Seattle Public Library, the Seattle Seahawks, the Museum of History and Industry, Public Health Seattle & King County, and Casa Latina set up booths to showcase their work, Black literature, and community projects and resources.
With on-site support provided by Perennial Zero Waste, the organizers of this event could provide reusable cups, plates, and utensils to its guests. The morning of the event, the Perennial Zero Waste team delivered dishware to the participating food truck vendors and set up return bins next to the trash, recycling, and compost bins at every waste station. Alongside every return bin is a sign reminding the public to properly sort their dishes and sharing information on the program.
West Coast Seattle Boy’s Chicken and Waffles on a reusable tray.
Throughout the event, the Perennial Zero Waste team checked on the waste stations to ensure no dishes were incorrectly thrown away or recycled and answered any questions guests had about sorting the reusable dishware.
The Perennial Zero Waste team also handled washing and sanitizing all the dishes after the celebration was over.
Sustainability isn’t the program’s only perk, though: it allows customers to receive their food on sturdy, durable dishware. West Coast Seattle Boy, Deez Dogs, and South2West Boiled Peanuts all participated in the program, serving up customers delicious bites on reusable plates.
Thanks to the efforts of NAAM and more than 3000 visitors who attended this Juneteenth celebration, Perennial Zero Waste, the Reuse Seattle team, and our participating food trucks prevented nearly 200 single-use items from entering Seattle’s waste streams.
If you’re interested in learning about more events that are taking action to reduce waste and be more sustainable, check out Reuse Seattle’s Reuse in Action Map.
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