Anonymous-

Bottled water is an issue, though not clear-cut, that needs to be addressed and examined. I am reigniting a Gustie call to action from the past, in hopes of inspiring change.

Bottled water is a polarized issue, and as I’ve come to realize, an issue that has been remarkably brought up on our campus before. I reviewed the Gustavian Weekly’s online archives for information. In 2011, the Gustavus Greens club (an environmental org.) hoped to ban plastic water bottles from campus. There were also letters sent in to the editor about banning bottled water (though the Greens were not explicitly mentioned) over the course of 2011. Previously, in 2009, there was a letter to the editor which expressed disappointment in the way bottled water was handled during the Nobel Conference (which was on the topic of water that year). The author noted how water bottles were not sold during the conference to set an image towards outside guests, but sold every other day. Most recently, in 2018, there was an opinion article written called the “War on Bottled Water” pointing out other colleges’ bans on bottled water, and suggesting Gustavus follow suit. Bottled water is an issue for several reasons. Wholly, it can be harmful in multiple regards and is oftentimes (in everyday consumption) unnecessary. Plastic production in itself comes from the oil industry which is detrimental through the releasing of greenhouse gasses and pollution of water. If not properly recycled, plastic water bottles will not be broken down fully in landfills, and microplastics can be mobilized by flowing water, moving into larger bodies of water. While plastic water bottles can have their place in times of emergency or in areas with unsafe drinking water (such as Flint, Michigan), the everyday usage of them is wasteful and unnecessary in opposition to reusable water bottles and drinking fountains.

I was particularly interested in the comments of one of the letters to the editor (Dec. 2, 2011) from the Gustavian Weekly archives. There were several critiques and concerns that were brought up about banning bottled water. One concern was that the tap water is not as safe or clean as bottled water. Thus, banning bottled water on campus would subject students to the “contaminated” tap water. This can be addressed through research into the tap water systems. In general, tap water is more regulated in the United
States than bottled water. While municipal water is subjected to regular testing for chemicals and an obligation to report all testing to the EPA, bottled water is not held to the same standards. Furthermore, some bottled water sources, in the past, such as Fiji water (Bottled and Sold, Peter Gleick, 2010), have been found to contain more bacteria than tap water. The tap water at Gustavus comes from the City of St. Peter. You can find the testing reports of St. Peter municipal water on the St. Peter website, under ‘Water’. The 2022 report found no reports of unsafe levels of chemicals, if any, in the tap water. Moreover, the website also has links to the Wellhead Protection Plan from 2020 that outlines plans for the betterment of the wells that were more susceptible to contamination.

A second concern for students on the banning of bottled water at Gustavus was the issue of convenience. The absence of the bottle eliminates an easy way to get water on the go and a convenient form of storage (to put in the fridge) if not completely finished. The United States has become a society of convenience and “disposability” (outlined by the opinion Gustavian Weekly article on the Gustavus Greens’ initiative). Subjectively, I believe that this structure of society is negative. It promotes egocentric thinking: that the things we consume should center around us and our immediate needs. The plastic in a water bottle is PET (PolyEthylene Terephthalate). A chemical component of PET is paraxylene which comes from crude oil sources. The oil industry is responsible for incredible rates of pollution in the world. Further, people who live close to crude oil plants are at risk for debilitating and life threatening health effects (from which they cannot always move due to decreased property values). The act of consuming does not only revolve around the single consumer, but also how the product was created and the impacts it has, once entered into the
global ecosystem. Convenience for one person can cause a host of suffering across the globe. However, industries and government are the ones that need to be held accountable, as they are the ones who produce and sell the product, often at the expense of the environment. The entire weight of this sin should not be put onto the consumer, it is simply something to consider when making purchasing decisions.

This concept of industrial blame versus consumer responsibility can have applications for the proposal of Gustavus campus-wide ban of plastic water bottles. Bottled water has been a concern from Gusties of the past, especially on a campus that promotes sustainability and has made enormous strides in becoming more environmentally friendly. However, Gustavus receives money from Coca-Cola to sell only their products. This is why Dasani and Smart Water are the only bottled water options in the caf (both products of Coca-Cola). So the concept of banning bottled water is not as simple.

Important issues require collective action. This concept is a primary reason why this call for the banning of bottled water has been initiated repeatedly. However, it seems as though individual action in this particular situation might be the most conducive for change.

So my response, or rather, reforming of the past suggestions to ban bottled water on campus is to not buy it or any single use plastics. If Gusties collectively stop buying convenience items, then this reduces the demand for supply. A third critique of the ban of bottled water concept was that it does not include all bottled beverages, because all contain plastic. The main reason that bottled water is specifically targeted is because of how simple the change can be made: fill a cup or reusable water bottle instead. However, there can be swaps for other bottled beverages. Coffees can be purchased rather at the Courtyard or Steamery which come in Gustavus compostable cups. Drinks such as Vitamin Water and pop can be filled from the fountain machine. While not as simple or direct, there are possibilities for swaps.

What was not as apparent an issue in past years when the previous Weekly articles were written, microplastics are polluting all biotic systems through low recycling rates. Though not examined on the Gustavus campus, recycling rates as a country tend to be low, which leaves plastics to be burned or collected in landfills. Even the recycling system can be flawed. If we do our part to recycle on campus, the entire situation is out of our hands with what happens after collection. This is why decreased consumption of these single use plastics as a whole is necessary. At what rate do we value the cost of convenience over the cost to our environment?

This whole argument is from someone who has Vitamin Waters in my fridge from leftover meal plan money. It’s not suggestions from someone who has it all figured out or is perfect in their actions of sustainability. But the first step is to care. It’s important to examine one’s own life and at least realistically evaluate if they’re living up to their priorities or values. Gusties tend to care about sustainability and the environment. It’s a matter of trusting in the science around municipal water, delving into research, and
making an effort to “vote with your consumer dollar”.

I feel strongly enough about this issue to write, in hopes that Gusties with similar passions and concerns will mobilize into an effort to make this campus more sustainable and beneficial. The issue of bottled water, brought up several times in the past, should not be one to fade away, but should rather be opened up
and reconsidered. It’s an ever-growing, imperative issue that extends past the boundaries of our campus. These constructive consumer habits formed now can also be a deciding factor in the environmental change that is necessary for the health of the planet.