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.

Student Action

Articles

Students to town: Kick the plastic bottle habit

Posted: March 30, 2009 Group lobbies Lunenburg for ban in all its buildings By BEVERLEY WARE South Shore Bureau Sat. Mar 28 - 5:28 AM LUNENBURG — A group of Lunenburg...
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University of Winnipeg Becomes a Bottled Water Free Campus

Posted: March 24, 2009 By Vinay Iyer, David Jacks and Zoe Maggio The University of Winnipeg has announced that it will progressively eliminate the sale and provision of...
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University of Winnipeg Bans Bottled Water!

Posted: March 24, 2009 For Immediate Release Monday, March 23rd 2009 University of Winnipeg Bans Bottled Water on Campus – 1st University in Canada to Implement a...
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Canada: Downtown university bans bottled water sales

Posted: March 24, 2009 CTV Winnipeg.
The University of Winnipeg is set to ban the bottle. The Downtown says it is listening to its student body, which voted to...
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Canada: University of Winnipeg first in Canada to ban sale of bottled water on campus

Posted: March 24, 2009 Canadian Press. By Chinta Puxley -
WINNIPEG - The University of Winnipeg says it is taking a stand against water for profit as well as...
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Canada: The water bottle debate uncapped

Posted: March 24, 2009 Ubyssey Online. By Sarah Chung -
The AMS’s effort to ban bottled water is moving forward. Coun­cil approved just over $11,000 last month...
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Canada: Bottled-water ban at U of W

Posted: March 24, 2009 Winnipeg Free Press. By Geoff Kirbyson -
Part of overall green strategy: Axworthy
THE University of Winnipeg is putting bottled water...
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Canada: U of W bans sale of plastic water bottles

Posted: March 23, 2009 Winnipeg Free Press.
The University of Winnipeg is the first university in Canada to ban the sale of disposable plastic water...
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Canada: University of Winnipeg believed first in Canada to ban sale of bottled water

Posted: March 23, 2009 Canadian Press.
WINNIPEG — The University of Winnipeg will become what is believed to be the first university in Canada to ban the sale of...
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Canada: University of Winnipeg set to ban bottle water sales on campus

Posted: March 23, 2009 CBC News.
Believed to be the first university in Canada to do so
The University of Winnipeg is about to become what is believed to be...
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Canada: U of W bans bottled water

Posted: March 23, 2009 Winnipeg Sun. By Paul Turenne -
The University of Winnipeg has become the first university in Canada to announce it is banning the sale of...
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Campuses Back the Tap for World Water Day

Posted: March 23, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Campuses back the tap for World Water Day OTTAWA – Over 20 Canadian university and college campuses are taking action...
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Canada: Banning the bottle

Posted: March 18, 2009 The Cord Weekly. By Rebecca Vasluianu -
After a presentation given at last Friday's board meeting, directors have informally agreed to assess...
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Canada: Students taking case to public

Posted: March 11, 2009 London Free Press. By Kelly Pedro -
Four Central secondary students pushing the public school board to ban the sale of bottled water are...
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Action Alert: World Water Day 2009!

Posted: March 5, 2009 World Water Day Action Ideas
World Water Day (WWD) this year is on March 22, 2009 and we are saying “Bye Bye Bottled Water!” As World...
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CFS Bottled Water Policy Canadian Federation of Students policy on Bottled Water passed at the May 2008 General Meeting. Click here

Bottled up or tapped out: Where have all the water fountains gone?

Posted: February 18, 2009 Richard Girard and Erika Shaker, Read More

Students at McGill vote to end the sale and distribution of bottled water!

Posted: February 18, 2009 On February 5th, students at McGill University voted to end the sale and distribution of bottled water. Organizers with TAPthirst (Tap drinkers...
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US: Students ask Gregoire to put emphasis on tap water resources

Posted: February 13, 2009 The Daily of the University of Washington. By Allen Wagner -
Attending a university that doesn’t sell bottled water could be difficult to...
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US: WU water bottle ban sparks efforts to follow suit around the world

Posted: February 9, 2009 Student Life. By Dan Woznica -
Around the world, colleges and universities are taking notice of Washington University’s decision to ban the...
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UK: Leeds students ban bottled water

Posted: December 16, 2008 The Guardian. By Martin Wainwright -
Vote to phase out plastic bottles aims to help the environment, but campus bars and shops will suffer...
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UK: Leeds University students pull plug on bottled water

Posted: December 15, 2008 Yorkshire Evening Post. By Sophie Haydock -
LEEDS University students have banned bottled water. In a landmark decision, a record number...
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Canada: Message in a water bottle

Posted: November 25, 2008 The Globe and Mail. By John Lorinc -
Eco-savvy schoolkids keep Nestlé in line during Waste Reduction Week
Here's a chilly lesson in...
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US: Washington University to stop selling bottled water

Posted: November 24, 2008 Kansascity.com
Washington University is phasing out almost all sales of bottled water. It costs society a lot more in energy and expense to...
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Norway Students Vote to Restrict Coca-Cola; Seek Ethical Alternatives to Coca-Cola

Posted: November 24, 2008 India Resource Center. Press Release -
Norway Students Vote to Restrict Coca-Cola Seek Ethical Alternatives to Coca-Cola For Immediate...
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