OUR VIEW: Water we fighting for?

A number of things changed on campus while we were away for the summer, but one thing seems to stand out more than others. Unfamiliar contraptions were built into the Taggart Student Center’s drinking fountains – a strange invention that had us puzzled when we first discovered it.

Looking more closely at it, we noticed the outline of a water bottle and a small spout where we assumed water was dispensed. We brought our water bottles to campus for the first time in months, simply to test the device. Though this water is the same water we once drank from the fountain, it tasted much sweeter. Thank you, water gods. It is now possible to fill water bottles up twice as fast, and we are doing it in style.

Okay, so we know the real reason for these dispensers revolves around encouraging students to stop buying water bottles, which is a worthy cause. Of course, buying water can become expensive, and we don’t have that kind of cash lying around. It promotes eco-friendly behavior while keeping our wallets happy. The dispenser allows the entire water bottle to fill, while the water fountain only allows half the bottle to fill until the tilt of the bottle causes the water to flow back out of the top.

There has been talk of taking this water bottle movement even further, and it toes the line. We are all in favor of giving students the option to decide whether or not saving the environment is on their priority list. Give students the option, and we believe they will more often than not make good decisions. Banning the sale of water bottles on campus completely, simply, does not make sense. Perhaps, we are being stubborn, but when our options are whittled down to one option, we feel rather confined. What will happen to the students who care less about preservation? When someone passes out on the sidewalk, we will know why. Dehydration.

It comes down to this: don’t tell students what they can and cannot do. Prompt them to do the right thing. Make saving the earth convenient. This is why it was wise to install more efficient water dispensers that prompt students to carry water bottles. Let’s not take it to the extreme. Thank you for the go-green enthusiasm, but at the same time, no thank you.