banning bottled water on campus: beyond excuses chrissy cooley sustainbility manager pacific...
TRANSCRIPT
Banning Bottled Water on Campus:
Beyond Excuses
Chrissy CooleySustainbility ManagerPacific Lutheran University
3
Remembering our Connection
The Cuyahoga caught on fire in 1868, 1883, 1887, 1912, 1922, 1936, 1941, 1948, and in 1952. The 1952 fire caused over 1.5 million dollars in damage. This is a picture
from the 1969 fire, the fire most often remembered.
4
Remembering our Connection
Aftermath of the 1969 fire Cleanup efforts continuing to this day
5
Remembering our Connection
Bottled water is not safer, not tastier
6
Environmental Impact
o Waste Stream – only about 30% of plastic bottles end up in the recyclingo Virtual Waste - ie transportation, refrigeration, water use in the manufacturing of temporary bottleso Mining of the Water
6
Social Injustice
o Privatization of drinking watero Communities right here in the US are giving up their free public water to be bottled at a costo Bottled Water plants bring very few, low -wage jobs
The University Connection
As Sustainability Professionals an average day at the office probably includes:
o Waking up early to bus/bike/carpool o Entering utility bill datao Managing all of the recycling, irrigation, natural gas & electricity policies on campuso Being available to anyone at all that pops ino Saying the words “people, planet, prosperity” at least 500 times a day
Generally being too busy to take on a campaign that no one is talking about anyways.
The Challenge
o The challenge is not banning bottled water!o A Ban on Bottled Water meets a deeper need
o in finding ways to apply our efforts to real sustainability goalso The challenge is to really change systems, not prevent the symptomso We found a way to not just be “less bad” but we were able to do real good
o The challenge is really to work on a cause that will simultaneously build bridges across your entire campuso Float an idea that will open minds to the full definition of sustainability
The Way to Do It
There are currently over 90 higher education institution in the US that have limited bottled water on campusBishop's University::Brandon University::College of Saint Benedict::Humboldt State University::Loyola University::Macalester College::Oberlin College ::Phillips Exeter Academy:: Seattle University ::Southern Oregon University::St. Mary's University ::State University of New York Upstate Medical University Vancouver Island University Washington University in St. Louis
The Way to Do It
o Harvard Citing fiscal responsibility and environmental concerns, the Kennedy School Student Government voted this week to halt funding for bottled water at events funded by student activity fees. Instead of filling requests for bottled water, Sodexho will provide pitchers of ice water at student group events receiving funding from KSSG. The measure, which passed by a 21-4 vote, will stretch valuable student activity dollars and eliminate waste.
The Way to Do It
University of Ottawa - David Rousseau
University of Washington St. Louis -
Deborah Singer Howard
Pacific Lutheran University
September 2010Dining &Sustainability
January 2009Chancellor&
Sustainability
April 2011Students
&Sustainability
Food sales went up instead of down
Changing image to be more innovative
Able to relate sustainability directly
to social justice
Defining bottled water apart from juice
Hostility in working from a top-down
model
Vending machine contracts/image
Change Management
Unfreezing1. Introduce Urgency2. Assemble your guiding team3. Create a common vision4. Communicate for buy-in5. Empower Action
Change 6. Create Short Term Wins7. Do not let up!
Refreezing 8. Build into existing structures
- John Kotter
University Trends
o The Basicso Getting reusable bottles in hands o Filtered Water Stationso Identify and empower your mavens
Empowering Student Leaders
o Allow them to be inspired – and get out of their wayo Provide resources where needed
o Student Green Feeso Sample campaignso Film showings
oTown Hall Forums where all stakeholders can be heardoFood and Water Watch
o TBTT National Forum Group o Facebooko Katy Kiefer, Activist Network Coordinator ([email protected])
When to Tap Out
oWhen to Tap Outo Fringe users (vending machines, sports, etc)o This is not a zero-sum game
oDon’t forget that even if a ban is not possible, work to reduce the existing demand now will make it possible in the future.
Inhibitors to Change
Fear Hope
Apathy Anger
Self-DoubtYou Can Make a
Difference
Inertia Urgency
~ Marshal Ganz
Your University
What would stop you from removing bottled
water from your campus?Chrissy Cooley
[email protected]#beyondexcuses