Southeastern initiates campaign to reuse plastic bottles
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
by: Tonya Lowentritt or Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s Sustainability Center is initiating
a campaign titled “I Choose to Reuse” to help eliminate the accumulation of plastic
bottles.
Southeastern has already installed several water filling stations across campus,
and the new campaign will be giving away 1,850 reusable water bottles to students,
faculty and staff in the fall of 2019. The water bottles come with a bookmark of information
on “how to green your day” designed by the Southeastern art student organization Lion
Designer Association.
“New water filling stations have been installed in eight buildings on campus
and have already made a massive impact on plastic bottle reduction and a great impression
with everyone using refillable bottles,” said Sustainability Manager Alejandro Martinez.
“This method positively impacts the recycling program and reduces unsightly litter,
thus reducing labor needs and beautifying our campus.”
In order to make the project possible, the Sustainability Center partnered with
several campus departments and organizations, including Sims Memorial Library, Student
Government Association, University Health Center, Southeastern Foundation, College
of Business, the Wesley Foundation, Lion Designers, and Reconnect.
Martinez said that, according to “National Geographic,” only nine percent of
plastic trash gets recycled in the U.S.
“Nearly a million plastic beverage bottles are sold every minute around the world.
Americans purchased about 346 bottles per person,” he said. “It is time to change
and choose to reuse.”
For more information, contact the Southeastern Sustainability Center at sustainability@southeastern.edu.
