Spring Break
Bottle policy change wanted
by Katarina Corda
News | 10/21/08
Posted online at 3:27 AM EST on 10/21/08
The results of the bottled water survey conducted last week by the Student Union and Students for Environmental Action revealed that 80 percent of the 1,284 respondents supported a change in the campus' bottled water policy.
The online student survey, administered in an effort to gauge support for the reduction of the sale and distribution of bottled water, showed that the majority of voters are in favor of the University's initiative to reduce purchases of bottled water on campus.
"It was an exceptional turnout," SEA President Matthew Schmidt '11 said in response to the survey results. "Nearly 40 percent of students voted; this shows students are really invested in the issue. 80 percent said yes; to me, that's a mandate. That's students saying, 'This is what we need to do for Brandeis; this is where we need to take it; this is where Brandeis's future is at.'"
Voters' comments were separated into four main groups that "fairly represent student sentiment," according to the Student Union's recently compiled summary of the poll's results. Among the responses supporting policy change, many comments were made to address the need for additional items to be included within the University's plan. For example, suggestions were made to remove paper and plastic cups from Usdan, regain access to water from Usdan soda stations, increase access to fountains and other fill-up locations and attach filters to sources of unpurified tap water.
Other comments advocated the reduction but not elimination of bottled water sales on campus, recommending instead that a limited amount of places provide bottled water for purchase.
Despite the large support for a bottled water policy change on campus, many students have reservations about what the implications of the survey results will mean. Not only were comments made about the quality of the tap water advocated for use, but complaints of individual choice, lack of convenience and, as one student put it, the "liquid aluminum, non-refrigerated" taste that comes from using the water bottles distributed earlier in the semester, were seen throughout comments made by the student body.
The online student survey, administered in an effort to gauge support for the reduction of the sale and distribution of bottled water, showed that the majority of voters are in favor of the University's initiative to reduce purchases of bottled water on campus.
"It was an exceptional turnout," SEA President Matthew Schmidt '11 said in response to the survey results. "Nearly 40 percent of students voted; this shows students are really invested in the issue. 80 percent said yes; to me, that's a mandate. That's students saying, 'This is what we need to do for Brandeis; this is where we need to take it; this is where Brandeis's future is at.'"
Voters' comments were separated into four main groups that "fairly represent student sentiment," according to the Student Union's recently compiled summary of the poll's results. Among the responses supporting policy change, many comments were made to address the need for additional items to be included within the University's plan. For example, suggestions were made to remove paper and plastic cups from Usdan, regain access to water from Usdan soda stations, increase access to fountains and other fill-up locations and attach filters to sources of unpurified tap water.
Other comments advocated the reduction but not elimination of bottled water sales on campus, recommending instead that a limited amount of places provide bottled water for purchase.
Despite the large support for a bottled water policy change on campus, many students have reservations about what the implications of the survey results will mean. Not only were comments made about the quality of the tap water advocated for use, but complaints of individual choice, lack of convenience and, as one student put it, the "liquid aluminum, non-refrigerated" taste that comes from using the water bottles distributed earlier in the semester, were seen throughout comments made by the student body.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Judy Steininger
posted 1/26/09 @ 11:20 AM EST
Katarina:
My company "Perfect Bottles" is pleased to see this sort of activism on campuses. Bottled water is a nightmare for the environment and costs far too much money for what it purports to deliver. (Continued…)
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