I never would have thought about container-filling stations if it wasn’t for Green Gal who left a comment on my post about giving up soda and plastic water bottles (I know, a lot to ask).
What is a container- or bottle-filling station you might ask? It’s a lot like a water fountain with a mission. A mission to make it easier for people to carry water without creating more demand for plastic bottle production or disposal. Its a water fountain with a spigot to make filling a reusable water bottle easy. Yup, that’s right, less negative impact on our friend the earth.
Green Gal goes to UC Santa Cruz where they have a campaign to install water bottle filling stations, Take Back the Tap. “Take Back the Tap UCSC is an initiative to end the sale and distribution of bottled water on our campus by Earth Day 2014.” You can see photos of water-bottle-filling stations on their FaceBook page, if you are curious.
I know a lot of you fill your reusable containers using regular old water fountains, but it’s not always satisfying, right? Maybe you can’t fill your container to the top, or you have a fear of water-fountain germs, in either case, filling stations solve those issues.
What I like about the filling stations is that it encourages reusable bottles and makes them the norm instead of the exception. And, isn’t that what we need to do to create a more sustainable world? Allow cultural shifts that make living sustainably feel normal instead of fringe, which is how I feel sometimes when I bring reusable containers and bags to the grocery store for bulk food.
If you think this is a good idea and think that all institutions should install them then (and, maybe businesses, I know you were thinking that too!) you’ll be glad to know there is a whole Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education – woot! They have a conference and expo October 6-9th, 2013 in Nashville, TN, in case you’re an educator interested in sustainability.
There are so many good initiatives, programs, and products that are being developed in response to climate change. It’s good to remember that in the face of all the depressing environmental news and not give up on leading a sustainable lifestyle.
I’ve heard several times that refill stations are (or have been) trialled around the streets of London but I’ve yet to see one. Personally I think they should be everywhere and they should be signposted much like public toilets are because it’s all well and good installing them but if nobody knows they are there then nobody will use them.
Steve,
I like the sign posting idea. Wait until you see my next post – you’ll want solar power charging stations all over town too! Maybe you should run for office to implement green ideas faster? What do you think? Kinda serious.