Student Action
The real truth about what you drink at school and on campus...
“The name of the game is to create a Coke or Pepsi drinker in the 6-to-24-age group. If the pop kings can create brand loyalty at that stage of life, chances are they will have nurtured a new crop of lifetime consumers of their products. For both Pepsi and Coke, the place to start is in schools, colleges and university campuses. Their strategy: an ingenious marketing tool called the ‘exclusive beverage agreement’”
Students across Canada and the US are increasingly challenging the presence of the cola kings Coke and Pepsi at their schools and campuses for a variety of reasons, such as corporate misconduct and the commercialization of public space.
This webpage is designed to support these campaigns and foster activism in schools and on campuses that exposes bottled water for what it truly is; a trend based on consumer manipulation, environmental degradation and the expansion of corporate control of a precious, life-sustaining common resource.
This webpage provides a space to connect student grassroots activism, sharing of campaign tools and experiences, and coalition-building amongst student campaigns. It is part of Polaris Institute’s ‘Inside the Bottle’ project – an awareness to action campaign focused on saving our water systems.
Articles
Ontario Campuses Start Challenge: Which Ontario Campus will be the First to kick the bottle and back the TAP?
Posted: February 22, 2010 February 22, 2010, OTTAWA –Campus organizers from across Ontario are racing to see whose campus can go bottled water free first. The Ontario...Read More
Brandon University to Become Bottled Water Free: University to officially sign Water Pledge and challenges others to do the same
Posted: December 17, 2009 Brandon, MB – Brandon University President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Deborah Poff officially signed a Water Pledge today that commits the university...Read More
Water fountains on Canadian campuses: where have they gone?
Posted: September 3, 2009For Immediate Release - Water fountains are disappearing on university and college campuses across Canada according to a new
George Brown College Builds Bottled Water Free Zones!
Posted: June 17, 2009 Congratulations to organizers at George Brown College: Campus Stores – which includes two bookstores, a computer store and a bookstore office - are...Read More
RE-FRESH! RE-JAILLIR!
Posted: June 15, 2009 RE-FRESH! Youth bottling out and tapping-in to public water systems RE-JAILLIR! Les jeunes disent adieu aux bouteilles pour faire place aux...Read More
New! University of Winnipeg: Case Study of a Campus Bottled Water Ban Click here
Bottled water to dry up on campus by 2013
Posted: March 3, 2010 Carys Mills, The Eyeopener Online, Tuesday, March 2, 2010--Ryerson has vowed to ditch bottled water by 2013 and the people in charge are willing to...Read More
Queen's may join other universities in banning bottled water: Water Access Group also looks to fix water fountains
Posted: February 9, 2010 Sean Wood, The McGill Tribune, February 9, 2010--At Queen's University, the Water Access Group, a group of students and professors interested in...Read More
Group proposes water bottle ban on campus: Increase the number and quality of drinking water fountains
Posted: February 9, 2010 Labiba Hauqe, The Queen's Journal, January 29, 2010--A university-wide audit shows 84 of the 151 water fountains assessed on campus are in need of...Read More
Bottled water ban referendum at St. Thomas University
Posted: February 5, 2010 The Aquinian, February 5, 2010 --Student council will put the question of whether or not to ban bottled water on campus to a referendum vote during...Read More
UVSP turns on new water campaign
Posted: January 28, 2010 Gemma Karstens-Smith, January 28, 2010, The Martlet-- Over the next week, the UVic Sustainability Project (UVSP) project will launch their new,...Read More
Unchartered Waters, 26 au 28 – mars 2010 à l'université McGill
Connecter le Militantisme et le Milieu Universitare sur les Problèmes Hydrologiques: Es-tu interessé par les problèmes hydrologiques? Curieuse de savoir comment l’eau est le lien entre la privatisation, l’accessibilité et la dégradation environnementale? Alors, viens à une conférence de 3 jours organisée par des étudiants sur les problèmes hydrologiques! www.unchartedwatersconference.ca
- Read more
Unchartered Waters: March 26-28, 2010, McGill University
Connecting Academia and Activism on Water Issues
Are you interested in water issues? Curious about how water is the common current through privatization, issues of access, and environmental degradation? Then come to the three-day student-led conference on water issues!
www.unchartedwatersconference.ca
- Read more
University of Winnipeg Students’ Association wins a 2009 Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Award for Bottled Water Ban!
Posted: December 4, 2009 The University of Winnipeg Students’ Association’s (UWSA) wins the 2009 Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Awards in the category of Education...Read More
Plastic bottles dead in the water? Free Bottled Water campaign looks to decrease bottled water consumption by students, faculty
Posted: November 17, 2009 Anna Helland, November 17, 2009, Oregon Daily Emerald--Karyn Kaplan is a passionate person, especially when it comes to water. Kaplan, the program...Read More
Students campaign for return of water fountains
Posted: November 5, 2009 Matthew Van Dongen and Tiffany Mayer, October 27, 2009, Niagara Falls Review--Once thought to be passe bastions of germs, water fountains have become...Read More
Pensez à l’extérieur de la bouteille au PFCNO 2009
Posted: November 5, 2009 5 novembre 2009, EDMONTON -- Il ne reste qu’une semaine avant le Parlement franco-canadien du Nord et de l’Ouest (PFCNO), qui aura lieu du 13 au...Read More
TAPPED--The Movie
Posted: November 4, 2009 www.tappedthemovie.com--Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right, or a commodity that should be bought and sold like...Read More
Ontario Bottled Water
Posted: October 29, 2009 The Canadian Press, October 29, 2009, TORONTO - University students in Toronto are pushing the Ontario government to stop buying bottled water and...Read More
Fredericton group looks to eliminate bottled water from campus
Posted: October 20, 2009 Kyle Mullin, October 15, 2009, HERE New Brunswick's Urban Voice--A few former students of John McKendy felt the best way to start spreading their...Read More
Is bottled water a thing of the past?: On campus campaign is influencing change one pledge at a time
Posted: October 20, 2009 Nicole Elsasser, October 15, 2009, The Ontarion--It's an all too familiar feeling; the hairs stand up on the back of your neck and you know you're...Read More
Group asks PSU to eliminate bottled water
Posted: October 20, 2009 Jourdan Cole, October 15, 2009, The Daily Collegian--The phrase "purified drinking water" appears on the label of every bottle of Aquafina water -- a...Read More
Not a drop to drink?:Report examines the state of water fountains on Canadian campuses
Posted: September 11, 2009 Mitch Gauven, September 10, 2009, TheVarsity.ca--Finding accessible drinking water on Canadian campuses may not be such an easy task, according to a...Read More
Michael Hlinka: Don't soak students for a drink of water
Posted: September 9, 2009 Michael Hlinka, September 8, 2009, CBC News--All over Canada, college and university students are returning to class. Many of them will find the...Read More
Stay Connected
Unchartered Waters, 26 au 28 – mars 2010 à l'université McGill
Connecter le Militantisme et le Milieu Universitare sur les Problèmes Hydrologiques: Es-tu interessé par les problèmes hydrologiques? Curieuse de savoir comment l’eau est le lien entre la privatisation, l’accessibilité et la dégradation environnementale? Alors, viens à une conférence de 3 jours organisée par des étudiants sur les problèmes hydrologiques! www.unchartedwatersconference.ca
- Read more
Unchartered Waters: March 26-28, 2010, McGill University
Connecting Academia and Activism on Water Issues
Are you interested in water issues? Curious about how water is the common current through privatization, issues of access, and environmental degradation? Then come to the three-day student-led conference on water issues!
www.unchartedwatersconference.ca
- Read more
BC Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On May 28th, a joint package of materials was distributed to every municipality in British Columbia. Click here to read the letter sent to municipalities. Click here to see Municipal examples. Click here to read the press release. - Read more
Take the Bottle Water Free Orientation Challenge!
Now is the time to promote a bottled water free orientation/event to your Student Union and PIRG for Fall 2009. Here are two ways you can help: 1) Send Elly the contact info of your campus orientation organizers; 2) Call or meet with your orientation leaders to discuss bottled water free events. If you think you can do either of these tasks, please email Elly Adeland, Water and Energy Campaigner at: Elly@polarisinstitute.org
We will get the ball rolling together!
- Read more
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Action on Bottled Water
March 7, 2009 - The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) adopted a policy to encourage their members to "phase out the sale and purchase of bottled water" on city/town property. Click here to access: FCM Resolution, Polaris Institute FCM Briefing Memo, Polaris Institute Press Release, FCM Press Release - Read more
Ontario Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On February 20th, a joint package of materials was distributed to all 444 municipalities in Ontario. Click here to read the letter sent to Municipalities. Click here to read the Municipal Examples and click here to read the Municipal Options sent to municipalities. - Read more
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Confronts Bottled Water
Click here to read AMO's memo to all its members on bottled water. - Read more
Nova Scotia Campaign to Turn on the Tap and Ditch Bottled Water
On December 12th, a provincial campaign on bottled water was launched in Nova Scotia. Click here to read the press release. Click here for Municipal Examples and click here for Municipal Options on bottled water. - Read more
JOIN THE BOTTLED WATER FREE ZONES CAMPAIGN
Create a bottled water free zone in your classroom, student union, workplace, union local, community centre, City Hall buildings, environmental social justice or faith based group, and more! click here to find out how you can participate in the campaign - Read more
CFS Bottled Water Policy Canadian Federation of Students policy on Bottled Water passed at the May 2008 General Meeting. Click here
FOI Request Template: Accessing Your University's Beverage Exclusivity Contract Click here
Cliquer ici
Alternatives to Bottled Water on Campus Organizing bottled water-free events on campus, such as Orientation Week.
Bottled Water FAQ Take the plunge! Frequently asked questions about policies for phasing out bottled water and re-investing in tap water.
Click here
Cliquer ici
Bottled Water Facts Fact sheets on the environmental, health, social and economic impacts of
the bottled water industry.
L'empreinte ecologique de l'eau embouteillee
Sante
Repercussions sociales
Repercussions economiques
L'empreinte ecologique de l'eau embouteillee
Sante
Repercussions sociales
Repercussions economiques
Municipal Action: Bottled Water Options and Examples Take the Plunge: Materials for Municipal Action on Bottled Water!
For Municipal Options click here
.For Municipal Examples click here
Community Organizing Package This package outlines some useful ideas and tools for building a campaign challenging the bottled water industry in Canada. Click here
San Francisco Executive Directive Use this example in a campaign to encourage your local government to ban bottled water. Click here for a copy
Student awareness to action kit PART 1
A tool kit to challenge the bottled water industry and beverage exclusivtity contracts at school and on campus
Find part 1 of the kit here
A tool kit to challenge the bottled water industry and beverage exclusivtity contracts at school and on campus
Find part 1 of the kit here
Utility Calculator for Vending Machines Calculate the energy consumption of your institution's vending machines
Find calculators here
Find calculators here