Photos: Sustainability Gets Amped Up on Broadway at & JULIET

The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) and Sweet Hospitality Group (SHG) are collaborating on a new pilot program to collect, sanitize, and reuse unwanted Broadway souvenir show cups. This initiative, in collaboration with Cup Zero, will aid in reducing the amount of plastic waste generated by Broadway theatres. 

The program launched last month at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, currently home to & Juliet. Patrons now have the option to either keep their cups as souvenirs or return them for reuse. 

“SHG is committed to finding sustainable solutions at our bars and limiting plastic waste is a big part of that,” said Julie Rose, Founder/CEO of Sweet Hospitality Group. “The souvenir show cup was introduced to replace single-use disposable cups, but it wasn’t a complete solution since many still get left behind as trash,” she continued. “We feel our partnership with Cup Zero closes the circle on eliminating that waste and we’re thrilled to have the support of the BGA and Broadway community in this effort.”

The reusable cup initiative launches as the BGA celebrates 15 years of working to educate, motivate, and inspire the entire theatre community and its patrons to adopt environmentally friendlier practices on Broadway and beyond. This waste reduction project is the most recent of a series of sustainability initiatives facilitated by the BGA.  

“This is a huge milestone for sustainability on Broadway and tackles one of the most visible forms of plastic waste in theatres. We are proud to partner with Sweet Hospitality Group and Cup Zero to implement this creative solution to an environmental challenge,” said Molly Braverman, Director of the Broadway Green Alliance. 

The BGA was launched in 2008 as an ad hoc committee of The Broadway League and is a fiscal program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. It was founded in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Since its inception, the BGA has supported a wide range of programs at the intersection of theatre and sustainability, from recycling collection drives in Times Square that have diverted over 20,000 pounds of textiles and 52,000 pounds of electronic waste from landfills, to a nationwide network of 1,200 current and alumni Green Captain volunteers serving as green theatre advocates. As part of one of the BGA’s first campaigns, Broadway theatres changed their marquees from incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient LED and CFL bulbs. This change has saved over 9,800 tons of carbon to date.

Sweet Hospitality Group Sweet Hospitality Group has been the premier concessionaire and caterer for the theater industry on Broadway and beyond since 1986. Since its inception, SHG has been on the forefront of innovating concepts to enhance the experience of theatergoers such as show-themed cocktails and souvenir show cups. These innovations have been expanded to include initiatives that help make Broadway greener and the world a sweeter place. SHG eliminated the use of standard plastic straws in 2018 and currently uses plant-based straws that are marine-biodegradable. They also use eco-friendly products and local, environmentally conscious vendors whenever possible. 

For more information: www.broadwaygreen.com, www.sweethospitalitygroup.com