From an article by Nick Paulson in the Stevens Point Journal:
If you want a drink of water on the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus this fall, don’t expect to find any bottles for sale.
The university’s new vending contract, which will go into effect before the school year starts in September, bans bottled water sales in campus vending machines. The 30 or so beverage machines also will switch to aluminum cans for soft drinks, cutting additional use of plastic. Only beverages which don’t come in other materials, such as sports drinks, still will be sold in plastic bottles.
UWSP bids its vending contract every five years. When Jerry Lineberger, associate director of University Centers, and other staff members asked for student input on this issue, the biggest call was to get rid of plastics, especially bottled water. The Student Government Association even passed a resolution asking for a reduction.
“If you want water, we have lots of water fountains on campus,” said Lineberger, who put together the new contract. “You can bring your own water bottle and fill it for free.”
Eliminating bottled water and switching to aluminum will cut, possibly by half, the amount of plastic the campus uses. The switch fits in with UWSP’s commitment to sustainability and image as a “green” campus.
But it also has a practical side. Recycling all the plastic costs the university money, but it can make money by selling the aluminum cans.