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Water Bottles On U of I Campus. Team Members:, Rashel Beckman, Shawna Bertlin , Croix Gilliland, Heath Hewett, Mathew Hurt, Ryan Hutten, Emily Long, Molly Loucks, Caitlin Morrow, Mike VanLydegraf Project Manager: David Haase Sponsor: Jeannie Matheison - Program Director, UISC.
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Water Bottles On U of I Campus Team Members:, Rashel Beckman, Shawna Bertlin, Croix Gilliland, Heath Hewett, Mathew Hurt, Ryan Hutten, Emily Long, Molly Loucks, Caitlin Morrow, Mike VanLydegraf Project Manager: David Haase Sponsor: Jeannie Matheison - Program Director, UISC
Why the Hassle? • Increase solid waste stream • Production emits carbon dioxide • UI has carbon neutral goal by 2030 • not regularly tested • Water is a common and clean, safe water is already available to students for free BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Bottled water sales • Other major Universities throughout the U.S. and Canada have already taken action: • University of Vermont Princeton University • Brown University Harvard University • Gonzaga University Seattle University • University of Ottawa University of Winnipeg • In addition: • Grand Canyon National Park no longer sells water in quantities less than 1 gallon BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
ENVS 101 Survey • Before the Survey. (general perspective of students before and after the results) • After survey results (the change it has) BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
The Effect of Education on Sustainable Choices A Study on Water Consumption Following a Series of Lectures Regarding Quality Control
Method • A survey was issued Dr. Robert Mahler’s Environmental Science course both before and after a comprehensive series of lectures regarding quality standards • We ran statistical analyses on the before and after responses and gauged participants’ increased awareness around water quality issues
Example 1: Bottled Water is Safer than Tap Water (Agree or Disagree) • Correct Answer: Disagree. Bottled water is NOT safer than tap water. • Initial Response: Almost a Standard Bell Curve
Who Regulates the Quality of Tap and Bottled Water, and Which Entity has Higher standards? • The FDA controls bottled water quality, and the EPA controls tap water quality. • The EPA has MUCH higher standards than the FDA • Following the class lectures, there was a 233% increase in students who knew the truth about the quality of Tap Water as it exceeds the quality of Bottled Water
Water Regulation • Between the two surveys the number of students who understood who regulated the quality of their water increased almost 100%
Students Thoughts, Post Lecture • "There is a misconception about bottled water. Most people think it tastes better, is safer, and is cleaner than tap water when in reality tap water is better in all 3 categories, and is better regulated.“ • “Bottled water is less regulated than tap water” • “helps me to see that bottled water is not worth the price” • “I now feel safer drinking tap water”
Where the is consumption going 4,300 estimated people. Of those surveyed, people who purchase water as their primary drink are a minority. Educational campaigns can reduce this percentage further. BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Recycling Break Down BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Petition • We asked hundreds of students on campus what their opinion on removing bottled water from campus and over 215 showed they were in favor of the idea by signing our petition. BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Goals: • End the sale of a Common: • Pass resolution through ASUI to end the sale of single-use water bottles • Work in conjunction with vendors to decrease and eventually stop stocking the product in campus dining and vending • Work with third party vendors to end their sale (e.g. Sister’s Brew) BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Goals (cont’d): • Take the bottles out of the equation: • Increase knowledge of how to recycle plastics at key locations • Continue to expand recycling stations throughout campus • (e.g. J.A. Albertson building has only one in entire building) • Continue installing new and retrofitted “Hydration Stations” BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Goals (cont’d): • Promote incentives for responsible hydration: • Offer free water bottles to new students in “welcome packs” • Reduce cost of new water bottles and offer them at more than one location • Offer a rebate program for students that need to replace a damaged or destroyed reusable water bottle BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Future projects • Outreach UI-student Housing: • Water bottle collection competition • Build water bottle structure display tower lawn (one month of bottles collected by housing) • Distribute educational signs that explain why water bottles are problem for our social system BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Increase recycling inputs in All university housing and buildings • Target High Traffic Areas • Plastic Recycling Bins Next to All Garbage Cans • Help promote University of Idaho’s environmental image BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Promote the Use of Reusable Bottles BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
Cite Sources BUS378 Ignite! Project Fair
