Burlington, Vermont- You can buy bottles of water almost everywhere these days convenient stores, sporting events, you name it, but soon you won't be able to add Vermont's largest university to that list.
UVM is banning the sale of bottled water. The school says it's the most practical solution to helping the environment and not making students pay for something many say should be free.
Supplied by a ten year contract with Coca-Cola, the University goes through about one million plastic bottles each year, but things are about to change.
"I don't have to throw this in a landfill or recycling at the end of the day," says Gregory Francese, the President of Vermont Students Toward Environmental Protection.
It was his group that spear-headed the effort to rid bottled water on the campus.
"Bottled water is just unnecessary, especially here at UVM where we pride ourselves on in a being a leader in environmental and sustainability," says Francese.
To make it happen, the group got 10% of the student body to sign a petition against selling H2O and with only five months left in a contract with Coca- Cola the school decided to join the effort.
"From a practical perspective and a financial one we don't know why our students should have to pay to have fresh drinking water," says Vice President for Finance and Administration, Richard Cate.
UVM plans to add 75 water bottle re-filler stations around campus making it easy for student to refill anywhere. The school also plans to find a vendor selling both national and local products with healthier options for students. Water bottles will not be sold starting January 11st, 2013.
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