UeaT

Guest post by PWI

One of U of T's newest clubs, PWI's mission is to improve access to  public water around campus, and to help people make the switch from  bottled to tap water.  In the long run, we hope to make the University of Toronto a bottled-water free campus.

Why the focus on bottled water?  It's a bigger problem than you might  think.  Bottled water involves many environmental issues, such as the  manufacture and disposal of PET plastics.  There are also health  concerns, such as the lack of public health regulations for bottled  water.  Also, bottled water promotes water privatization, and  undermines trust in our city water, when meanwhile Toronto has some of the best tap water in the world!

Starting this year, you'll see PWI around campus doing demonstrations such as water "taste tests", handing out information, selling  stainless steel canteens (for only $8.00!), and talking to the U of T community about the benefits of public water.  See our blog at http://pwiutoronto.wordpress.com to find out where we'll be, and stop  by to find out how you can make the switch!

For more information, or to volunteer, contact pwi.uoft@gmail.com or Leanne.rasmussen@utoronto.ca

We hope you are all set to attend frosh and your first week of classes. Before you head on over to campus, we would like to invite you to join U of T’s Water Initiative. The City of Toronto is promoting public water, and discouraging the use of plastic bottles on city property.

In light of recent studies on the effects of plastic bottles on your health and the environment, U of T also discourages the use of plastic water bottles. The St. George campus houses drinking fountains and filtered water stations (yes, filtered!). We encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle or canteen to campus, and fill it during the day from these sources. Not sure what type of reusable water bottle to use? The Good Human has a simple little explanation of the Dos and Don’ts of reusable water bottles.

Also, keep an eye out for PWI’s information tables during the school year.