Bottled Water Awareness on Campus

The mission of the Delaware Environmental Institute is to conduct research and coordinate partnerships that integrate environmental science, engineering, and policy in order to provide solutions and strategies that address environmental challenges.  As their intern, one of my responsibilities is to chair the Student Programs Committee (SPC), a group of 8 undergraduate UD students that are passionate about the environment.  We are charged with being ambassadors, serving as representatives of DENIN at campus-wide events, a focus group to tell DENIN staff about what students are concerned about, event planners of programs for undergraduate students specifically, promoters of DENIN events and activists creating a greener campus through effective scientific communication.

We have started a Bottled Water Awareness Campaign on the University of Delaware’s campus.  We are petitioning students to sign on and show their support for going bottled water free.  SPC will be handing out “Platypus” style, reusable (and foldable!) and BPA-free water bottles to those who pledge to become more awareness of the products they buy.  We are planning to screen a documentary about bottled water outside on the Green at the end of the semester.  We are also working with the UD Sustainability Task Force to promote the Hydration Station on campus and advocate for more.  Over 90 colleges and universities across the nation have restricted sale/banned bottled water.

This campaign begs the question: Why go bottled water free? Watch this video: