Play Away is an indoor playground with clear sight lines and comfortable seating so parents can relax while their kids have a ball. Owner Katie Singer writes, “healthy, happy children are the main asset of our business so it is of the utmost importance that we consciously keep our environmental footprint minimal so their future is bright.”
Despite having a very busy on-site cafe, the cafe’s kitchen was classified as “take-out only” because they did not have a commercial dishwasher. Although they had committed to compostable cups, plates and cutlery, the cafe still had a significant footprint. Every cup or fork used had to first be manufactured and shipped, used only once and then picked up and shipped to a compost processing site. Play Away was composting over 6000 gallons of waste a year. By shifting to reusable items and installing a dishwasher, they realized they could avoid that waste altogether. However, the cost of an energy-efficient commercial dishwasher that would fit their kitchen was a significant barrier.
Leveraging the Climate Action Microgrant, Play Away was able to source a commercial dishwasher through a retail store.
Play Away has since eliminated single-use service items, including cups, plates, cutlery and trays. Staff report they have cut down on daily garbage by at least 50% and are looking forward to collecting the yearly data to quantify the exact impacts. Although they are consuming more water with the dishwasher, the overall environmental impact of their shift has been positive considering the entire lifecycle impacts of the products they’ve eliminated.
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