Bottled water remains in vending machines until distributors arrive
By Roya Ghorbani-Elizeh
The University of Portland's determination to stop the sale of bottled water on campus has spread from The Cove to across the quad to the coffee cart in Franz Hall. But not the vending machines. Take a look among the 15 beverage vending machines on campus and you'll see dozens of bottles of Aquafina.
According to Bon Appétit general manager Kirk Mustain, it's just a matter of time before UP vending machines are in compliance with the new university policy banning bottled water sales on campus.
"We are under agreement with Pepsi that they will just filter out," Mustain said. "We've made the request to the distributor, but it might just be a timing issue."
Mustain hopes that the bottled water will be gone in the coming weeks.
After the university announced the decision to discontinue the sale of bottled water, The Cove started selling purple aluminum bottles to students and faculty as an alternative to plastic water bottles. The Cove purchased 400 of the reusable bottles, and sold all of them, Mustain said.
"I didn't expect them to go out that fast," Mustain said. "They all went in about 10 days."
According to Mustain, the ban on the sale of bottled water has been a positive experience, even though the date was pushed up from the initial early March deadline.
The new policy took effect on Feb. 1.
Students have responded to the ban by bringing their own water bottles and using the roughly 60 water fountains found around campus. However, many visitors to campus are unaware of the ban.
"I, as well as the majority of the students on campus, own a canteen to hold water I got from the tap," Sarah Brunner, junior, said. "If visitors want bottled water, they should realize they are in the environmentally conscious city of Portland."
Some recent visitors to The Bluff have not been so positive about the bottled water ban, and question whether it will have a strong impact on the environment.
"Unless UP can ban all water bottles from being brought onto campus, I believe it will not make much difference," parent Jim Helmers said. "The students, faculty and others will find other sources to purchase bottled water."
Helmers, who was visiting his daughter Kim for Junior Parents Weekend, believes that an alternative would be to increase the price of bottled water. Helmers suggested that profits from the increase could go to the "review of programs that would assist in reducing waste and encouraging recycling."
While some junior parents had problems with the logistics of the ban, other visitors were supportive of the university's effort
"I think other schools could benefit from a ban like this," said Doris Hutton, who was visiting her daughter, Dannica, for Junior Parents Weekend. "I think all of us as a community could benefit from getting rid of the waste that comes from water bottles."
Being the first university on the west coast to stop selling bottled water, UP has made headlines across the country.
"It shows we are growing more aware of our environment and taking positive action," Brunner said. "Taking this step affirms our inclination of being a positive role model for west coast universities."
As long as they don't look at our vending machines, visitors will see the changes that are happening on The Bluff.
