Next semester the University will no longer sell bottled water on campus. This decision is part of a series of green initiatives set to be implemented by the University, but it is the first to have a direct impact on students. Many students are bristling at the idea of the University forcing them to go green or are anticipating the inconvenience and aggravation of a world (or campus) without water bottles. But once students see beyond their annoyance, they might realize that this step toward ‘green’ is a step in the right direction both for the University and its students.
In the face of real and serious environmental problems, the nation will have to make sacrifices in order to ensure a better future. There may come a time when Americans will be forced to use less power, drive less or conserve water. In comparison to these possible (and likely) scenarios, Washington University students’ loss of bottled water isn’t that great of a sacrifice. In fact, it’s a rather small gesture that should be followed by more rigorous green initiatives campus-wide. Washington University should work hard to urge students to conserve power and water. It should additionally seek moderation in its own use of lighting, heating and cooling. Does every light on campus have to be on all the time? And do the classrooms need to be so icy cold in the summer? Or so warm and toasty in the winter? Small changes can have a big impact; it is time for the University to be far more aggressive about going green.
It is also time for students to employ a viewpoint shift. Losing our disposable water bottles could be a good thing. Not only are disposable water bottles harmful to the environment—they are yet another example of unnecessary plastic packaging, and they consume energy and create waste in each step of their ‘life’ cycle (manufacturing, transportation, and recycling)—but they make an impact on your wallet as well.
A liter of water at the Village mart sells for $2.59. If you were to buy one a day for a month you’d be paying about $80. For an entire school year you’re looking at roughly $600. For water! If you buy a Nalgene and fill it with free water every day (St. Louis has some of the highest quality tap water in the country), think about how much money you’ll save. Not only are you protecting the planet, but you’re being economical as well. And isn’t that what being a college student is all about?
If you still have a problem with the abolition of bottled water on campus, email me at vksantosh@wustl.edu and I will do my best to explain the seriousness of the crime and help you to come up with a way to hydrate yourself satisfactorily without it.