College Launches Sustainability Initiatives Including New Water Bottle Refill Stations
More reusable water bottle refill stations have been added around campus this year, as part of the sustainability interns’ efforts to make campus more environmentally friendly (Photo Maddie Neiman/The Gettysburgian)
By Maddie Neiman, Features Editor
As the Fall 2018 semester begins, the sustainability interns, leaders of the Sustainability at Gettysburg College movement, have a few initiatives prepared to motivate students to be environmentally conscientious this year.
One such initiative is the Food Waste Committee, a group organized with the goal of reducing waste on campus “by finding better uses [for food] or by donating the usable food to those in need,” according to the flyer advertising this committee on the Sustainability at Gettysburg College Facebook page.
Students returning to campus can also expect to see new reusable water bottle refill stations in the first-year residence halls as well as a total of four stations in the new College Union Building.
The effort to add more of these stations around campus is to encourage students to save themselves money and help save the planet by using reusable bottles, rather than single-use plastic bottles.
First-year students will find a reusable water bottle in their welcome bags, along with a reusable metal straw — a new feature meant to further discourage plastic waste, according to intern McKenzie Somers ‘20.
“We only have one Earth,” said Somers. “If we take it for granted, we can’t get it back.”
Students interested in joining the Food Waste Committee or learning more about Sustainability at Gettysburg College should follow the previously-mentioned Facebook page or contact interns Somers or Gloria Norcross ‘19.
