June 2025
Acknowledgement: This article was originally published by Ulster Publishing / Hudson Valley One
A group of passionate middle school students is making waves on Main Street with a campaign to reduce plastic waste—one takeout container at a time.
The New Paltz Middle School Climate Club, led by advisor Bryan and supported by UCRRA volunteer Holly Shader, spent the past month researching the environmental and health impacts of plastic use. Club members Allie Stone, Serena Chen, Wesley Keeling, Aaron Weed, Derek Chen, and Fahmedah Akther worked together to prepare an informative pitch, aimed at encouraging local restaurants to participate in the Tiffin Project, an initiative started by the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA).
Their mission: to support restaurants that allow customers to bring their own reusable containers for takeout.
After weeks of preparation, including learning about plastic recycling challenges and health risks from plastic leaching into food, the students visited local restaurants after school on two separate days. They shared their findings and installed window clings that let customers know these businesses support the Tiffin Project and sustainable takeout options.
Participating restaurants now include LaBella’s Pizzeria, Butterhead Salad Company, and Main Street Bistro and New Nelly’s Restaurant. Each of these businesses was added to the official Tiffin Project map, helping environmentally conscious customers find places that welcome reusable containers.
Sabena, owner of Butterhead Salad Company, voiced strong support for the effort. “We use compostable containers, but they’re still expensive,” she said. “Letting customers bring their own containers makes sense both economically and environmentally.”
The club’s research uncovered troubling facts: most common takeout containers, like plastic in contact with hot food, can leach chemicals that are then ingested, accumulating in the human body. Discarded plastics also break into microplastics that do not decompose and can enter the tissues of plants, animals, and humans alike.
“We wanted to help reduce the plastic we use because it ends up in our food and our bodies,” said Serena. “Most takeout containers, like plastic clamshells or plastic-lined paper, can’t even be recycled.”
Customers can now look for the Tiffin Project window cling on participating businesses and visit the UCRRA website to learn more and find a map of participating restaurants.
With a blend of environmental awareness, science, and public speaking, these young students are proving that change really can start at the community level.
Photo: New Paltz Climate Club – From left to right: Bryan Krebs (advisor), Aaron Weed , Derek Chen, Serena Chen, Allie Stone, Holly Shader (UCRRA volunteer), and Wesley Keiling. Missing: Fahmedah Akther
