On Campus Blog

What Macalester thinks about a campus ban on bottled water

Macalester College is considering a ban on bottled water this fall following a proposal by student Clare Pillsbury, The Mac Weekly reports. Her proposal comes as bottled water has taken a hit nationally for both its cost and variable quality.

A survey of students, faculty and staff showed:

Students were generally in favor, with the consensus of "I don't use bottled water, so sure, let's get rid of it," Pillsbury said.

Staff and faculty were also in favor, but more intent on finding accessible alternatives to the bottled water bought in bulk (Culligan water dispensers being the most prevalent example).

Pillsbury is getting staff to install special spigots on drinking fountains so that students can fill their own water bottles. And this fall, freshmen received reusable bottles during orientation.

Read more about the potential ban here.