Members of Chautauqua Elementary’s Green Team — a group made up of 4th and 5th grade student leaders whose goal is environmental stewardship and resource conservation — unpacked 24 sets of new reusable dishes and utensils on Feb. 1.

The purchase was made with the Appleford Grant — a funding request written by the students and awarded to the Green Team from PIE (Partners in Education.) The sets will be given to each classroom to reduce waste and save money by eliminating the need for disposable plates and plastic utensils at class parties and other occasions.

Green Team Ambassadors visit classrooms to teach students about reducing paper and plastic usage, reducing waste in their lunchroom, and the importance of water conservation. Reducing waste at the school is important, said Amber Pontecorvo, a Green Team member. “It is our job to make sure we don’t have a bad impact on our environment,” she said.

Kevin Pontecorvo is a parent of a Chautauqua Elementary Green Team student.