Illustration by Skylar Chui
Plastic bottles take up to 1,000 years to decompose and make up nearly 30 percent of all plastic waste, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By purchasing plastic water bottles from the snack shack, Pinewood students contribute to the already overwhelming amount of waste in landfills and oceans. For this reason, Epicurean, the organization that sells lunches and runs the snack shack at Pinewood, should consider replacing plastic water bottles with a more sustainable option. Additionally, students have a number of alternatives to plastic water bottles at their disposal.
It baffles me when I see people in the Pinewood community walk past a free water fountain with a bottle refill station to purchase a bottle of water less than five feet away. By simply drinking from the water fountain, people can save time, money, and the environment all at once. First, there is no need to stand in a line for several minutes and waiting for water, which can be obtained instantly at the water fountain. Not only would you save yourself time, you would also speed up the line for others. Second, the water fountain has a practically unlimited supply of water, so it is illogical to spend money on a plastic bottle. Some may say they buy plastic water bottles because they can take the bottle with them to class; however, bringing a reusable water bottle from home is a far cheaper option in the long term and provides the same benefit of portability.
The third, and the most important reason not to buy plastic water bottles, is to help the environment. Most plastic is made using fossil fuels and oil, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions in the process. By using sustainable options such as reusable water bottles and water fountains, the Pinewood community can support the environmental movement.
To further discourage the use of plastic bottles, Epicurean should remove them from the snack shack. They could even replace these plastic bottles with cheap reusable bottles which people might be more inclined to buy. Doing so would send a good message to consumers that their brand is eco-friendly and they could even put their logos on the bottles as advertising.
By cutting down on plastic use and using drinking fountains and reusable bottles over plastic bottles, the Pinewood community can help fight against toxic carbon emissions and do our part to save the environment while saving time and money.