(Information from: Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com)

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah (AP) — More than a year after she set her mind to do more to help the environment, a Utah fourth-grader has convinced her elementary school to switch from foam trays to biodegradable ones.

The Deseret News reports Aggy Deagle successfully lobbied the Canyons School Board and inspired other schools to consider making the change.

Deagle says she hated watching the trays go in the trash.

Other students joined Deagle’s effort and helped her collect signatures from about 85% of the school’s students on a petition urging the change.

The school district has also switched from using plastic utensils to reusable metal ones.

These changes have increased the nutritional services budget by about $200,000.

Butler Elementary School Principal Jeff Nalwalker calls the change a “pretty big deal.”