UP first on West Coast to ban bottled water
UP moves ban of bottled water sales up to coincide with other efforts on campus
Hannah Gray
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News
The University's decision to discontinue the sale of bottled water was not a surprise to many on campus, but the timing was.
"This was my decision to step up the timetable," said Bon Appétit general manager Kirk Mustain. "To me, this is a stake in the ground in terms of sustainability."
Originally, the plan to remove bottled water from The Cove, vending machines and the concession stands was scheduled to take effect around UP's spring break in early March, according Mustain. Instead, it took effect Feb. 1.
The Jan. 26 announcement, including a widely-distributed press release, coincided with the University's efforts to generate publicity for UP's water conference - Confluences: Water and Justice - which is scheduled for late March, according to Mustain.
The strategy worked. KATU, KGW, Willamette Week, the Oregonian, the Beverage Network, various blogs and other media jumped on the bandwagon.
"Water is becoming a big issue on campus," Mustain said. "We're becoming the university on the river - a part of that is becoming a good steward of the environment around."
While Bon Appetit no longer sells bottled water on campus, flavored Life Water and other bottled beverages will continue to be sold, according to Mustain.
"It's not going to make a huge dent, but it's a first step," Mustain said about the discontinuation of bottled water sales.
There are many social justice and environmental issues surrounding the sale of disposable plastic water bottles.
"It's not a simple issue of deciding not to buy water anymore," Mustain said.
The discontinuation is consistent with Catholic social teaching, which says that everyone has a right to water, according to Mustain.
"Privatizing water is a social justice issue, no doubt," said Steven Kolmes, chairman of the Environmental Science Department and a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Sustainability.
For their Environmental Studies capstone project, seniors Anne Bertucio, Risa Pond and Alyssa Schmidt-Carr are focusing on water privatization, specifically within the bottled water industry.
"This was my decision to step up the timetable," said Bon Appétit general manager Kirk Mustain. "To me, this is a stake in the ground in terms of sustainability."
Originally, the plan to remove bottled water from The Cove, vending machines and the concession stands was scheduled to take effect around UP's spring break in early March, according Mustain. Instead, it took effect Feb. 1.
The Jan. 26 announcement, including a widely-distributed press release, coincided with the University's efforts to generate publicity for UP's water conference - Confluences: Water and Justice - which is scheduled for late March, according to Mustain.
The strategy worked. KATU, KGW, Willamette Week, the Oregonian, the Beverage Network, various blogs and other media jumped on the bandwagon.
"Water is becoming a big issue on campus," Mustain said. "We're becoming the university on the river - a part of that is becoming a good steward of the environment around."
While Bon Appetit no longer sells bottled water on campus, flavored Life Water and other bottled beverages will continue to be sold, according to Mustain.
"It's not going to make a huge dent, but it's a first step," Mustain said about the discontinuation of bottled water sales.
There are many social justice and environmental issues surrounding the sale of disposable plastic water bottles.
"It's not a simple issue of deciding not to buy water anymore," Mustain said.
The discontinuation is consistent with Catholic social teaching, which says that everyone has a right to water, according to Mustain.
"Privatizing water is a social justice issue, no doubt," said Steven Kolmes, chairman of the Environmental Science Department and a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Sustainability.
For their Environmental Studies capstone project, seniors Anne Bertucio, Risa Pond and Alyssa Schmidt-Carr are focusing on water privatization, specifically within the bottled water industry.
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rickaquastar
Rick MacNeal
posted 2/05/10 @ 6:21 AM PST
2 comments:
Forcing students to simply go elsewhere to purchase their bottled water is not really addressing the issue. Providing convenient and cost effective alternatives to go along with the ban is. (Continued…)
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