First-ever 'Week Without Bottled Water' to take place March 25-29
Take Back the Tap at Central Michigan University will compete in a nationwide contest from March 25-29.
Take Back the Tap merged forces with Campus Dining and Auxiliary Services to create the first-ever Week Without Bottled Water at Central Michigan University.
Take Back the Tap is a student-powered water advocacy group that aims to demolish the use and purchase of bottled water across campus. By organizing their upcoming event, which will take place March 25-29, CMU will be entered into the national Tap-a-palooza contest.
The contest was launched on World Water Day on March 22. The goal of the contest is to connect American colleges and universities under a pledge to replace popular consumption of bottled water with tap water.
The two universities with the highest number of submitted pledges will receive $1,500 to advance public water infrastructure on campus.
Brighton senior Sara McAuliffe, Take Back the Tap president, said this will be the first time CMU has dedicated an entire week to eliminating bottled water.
The Market, located on-campus at 1900 S. East Campus Dr., will have no bottled water available for purchase during the week.
On March 27, McAuliffe said absolutely no bottled water will be available in any of the vending machines or stores throughout CMU.
"Get yourself a nice reusable water bottle and (cover it in) stickers so it's cute and you want to use it," McAuliffe said. "Don't allow yourself to buy water, even when you forget it at home."
McAuliffe said one of the most frequent habits she hopes the week combats is purchasing bottles from vending machines when reusable ones are left behind.
"It is really so important to just suffer through having to use the drinking fountain the old fashion way every single time you need water instead of going directly to vending machines or the campus stores," she said. "You won't have water sitting with you in class and that might suck but you'll remember to bring your water bottle next time and be less likely to forget it."
Take Back the Tap will be offering free, reusable bottles to anyone in need of one, McAuliffe said.
According to Campus Dining sales, bottled water sales were reduced by 6,371 bottles from 2017-18. McAuliffe said although such a decrease in purchases could be from a decline in overall enrollment at CMU, further promoting actively vocalizing the values and mission of Take Back the Tap can help in minimizing one-use plastics on campus.
"We need to demand funding to fix and ensure that everyone has access to clean and safe drinking water," McAuliffe said, explaining bottled water is not a solution when water should be unquestionably and freely provided through public infrastructure.
In order to participate in Tap-A-Palooza, students must text "I (heart emoji) TAP" to 69866.
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