Kay Masterson keeps roughly 1,000 pounds of food waste out of the landfill every week at Johnny's Luncheonette — and she wants other Newton restaurant owners to know it's not as hard as it sounds.

Masterson, co-owner of Johnny's and Cabot's Ice Cream & Restaurant in Newton Centre, is the featured guest on the latest Green Newton Exchange Podcast episode, where she talks through how her restaurants compost with Black Earth Compost and offer reusable takeout containers through a Boston-area startup called Recirclable.

Johnny's fills three 48-gallon carts of food scraps for weekly pickup — about 1,000 pounds of organic waste diverted from the trash. "Composting was easier than I thought it was going to be," Masterson said, adding that if other restaurants saw how much waste Johnny's keeps out of landfills, they'd want to join what she calls "a virtuous cycle." The diner even partnered with Green Newton on educational placemats explaining how microorganisms break down organic matter, and plans to use the finished compost in planters on its outdoor patio.

Johnny's is one of several Newton restaurants — alongside Grape Leaf Newton, Little Luke's Cafe, and Judith's Kitchen — using Recirclable's system. Customers scan a QR code at checkout to borrow a reusable container, good for up to 1,000 uses, and return it to any participating restaurant within 14 days at no charge (miss the window, and it's a $15 fee). Masterson said the real challenge is habit, not logistics — getting customers to download the app and actually bring containers back. She's paying more per container for now but expects costs to drop as more people participate.

Masterson and her husband Kevin took over Johnny's in 2014 and added Cabot's in 2023 when its owner of more than 50 years retired. She was named Small Businessperson of the Year at last year's Newton Small Business Awards. The diner sources produce from Tangerini's Farm in Millis — a 20-plus-year relationship — along with Maine beef and Charlemont maple syrup, and supports local groups including Spark Newton and the Boys and Girls Club.

Want to hear more?

The Green Newton Exchange Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, released monthly with local experts on Newton climate topics. Johnny's Luncheonette, at 30 Langley Road, is open daily with hours varying by day of the week.