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

Canada: Whose water? What choice?

Posted: November 24, 2008 The Argus. By Brandi Cameron -
Seven Canadian universities were involved in last Monday’s Day of Action regarding the privatization of...
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Canada: Profound disagreements seen in bottled water debate

Posted: November 20, 2008 The Ontarion. By Jon Stoller -
Day of action against bottled water features debators from both sides of the issue
This past Monday, a...
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Canada: Students take action against bottled water

Posted: November 20, 2008 Academica Group.
On Monday, students from 8 universities took part in a day of action against bottled water on campus. Lakehead University...
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Canada: Uncapping debate

Posted: November 18, 2008 GuelphMercury.com. By Thana Dharmarajah
Bottled water focus of debate at U of G
James Heumann made a conscious decision to stop...
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Canada: Students urged to take cold, hard look at water

Posted: November 18, 2008 The Whig Standard. By Jennifer Pritchett -
Queen's group wants more fountains, fewer bottles
Once a prominent feature in schools and...
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Students “tap in” to challenge bottled water industry on campus

Posted: November 17, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, November 17th 2008 Students “tap in” to challenge bottled water industry on campus OTTAWA – Today, eight...
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Campus Bottled Water Free Zones Campaign 08/09

Posted: November 17, 2008 The Polaris Institute, the Canadian Federation of Students and the Sierra Youth Coalition are continuing this year to build the Campus bottled water...
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Canada: Students battle bottled water on campus

Posted: November 17, 2008 Thunder Bay's Source.
When a water fountain disappears on the Lakehead University campus, it seems to be replaced by a vending machine, said...
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US: University to end sales of bottled water on campus

Posted: November 16, 2008 Record. By Jessica Daues -
Beginning in January, faculty, students and staff on the Danforth, North and West campuses will no longer find...
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Canada: Lean green campus machines

Posted: October 23, 2008 The Globe and Mail. By Jennifer Lewington -
Students are at the forefront of a grassroots environmental revolution as they coax--and...
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US: 80% vote yes on bottle survey

Posted: October 17, 2008 The Brandeis Hoot. By Kathleen Fischman -
Results of a poll conducted by the Student Union and Students for Environmental Action revealed...
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Canada: Striving for a bottle-free campus

Posted: October 14, 2008 Queen's Journal. By Lauren Miles -
Sustainability group aims to minimize the number of one-time use bottles at Queen’s
The ubiquity...
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US: UA wants bottled water off campus

Posted: October 9, 2008 Arkansas Times. By Doug Smith -
Bottled-water exec readies for another bout.
Breck Speed is displeased that the Sustainability...
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US: Poll gauges opinion of bottle initiative

Posted: October 7, 2008 The Justice. By Katarina Corda -
In an effort to gauge student views on the University's initiative to reduce bottled water purchases, the...
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Canada: Campuses thirsty for water across Canada

Posted: September 22, 2008 Gauntlet News. By Josh Friesen -
Public water fountains on campuses across the country are taking a hit, according to a recent Canadian...
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Canada: Ending the bottled water era

Posted: September 17, 2008 The McGill Daily. By Dana Holtby -
After decades of successfully convincing the public to spend billions of dollars on an essential resource...
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Campus Survey: Report

Posted: September 16, 2008 On September 2nd, the Polaris Institute along with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Canadian Union of Public Employees released...
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Campus Bottled Water Free Zones: Campaign Update

Posted: September 16, 2008 Campaign Update
As part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness/action around the bottled water industry on university and college campuses, the...
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Canada: U of G students bring tank into battle against bottled water

Posted: September 12, 2008 The Ontarion. By A. Altstedter and R. Mejia -
Environmental group champions tap water
"We hope to engage students in an ongoing...
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US: Replacing Bottled Water on Campus First Project of University Sustainability Council

Posted: September 10, 2008 University of Arkansas Daily Headlines.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas Sustainability Council unanimously adopted its first...
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Canada: UBC takes steps to ban bottled water

Posted: September 4, 2008 The Muse Online. By Ian Turner -
VICTORIA (CUP) – University of British Columbia biology student Nicole Brown says there should be more...
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US: Drinking water tests find no real differences

Posted: July 2, 2008 DailyFreeman.com. By Kyle Wind -
NEW PALTZ - As Professor Shafiul Chowdhury leaned down to take a sip of water from a campus fountain soon...
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Canada: NDP accuses UBC of encouraging students to drink bottled water

Posted: June 25, 2008
The Vancouver Sun. By Allison Cross -
The University of B.C. is encouraging students and staff to drink bottled water by including...
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Canada: Canadian schools tap out water bottles

Posted: June 24, 2008
Canwest news service. By Tiffany Crawford -
But Griswold argues that more attention should be placed on recycling programs. "Schools...
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US: Reinharz plans to ban bottled water

Posted: May 20, 2008
The Justice. By Jillian Wagner -
University President Jehuda Reinharz, Aramark and Vice President of Campus Operations Mark Collins...
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