Eugene, Ore.- The University of Oregon’s Climate Justice League’s campaign, “Take Back The Tap” to make UO a plastic water bottle free campus, has been rejected by Oregon’s executive office. The Climate Justice League has been fighting to ban plastic water bottles for the past three years, but when it was finally pitched to administration, the idea was turned down.

The administrators in Johnson hall, currently in the middle of contracting a multiyear deal with Pepsi, are trying to find the best way to stay sustainable while also doing what makes most sense for the school economically. Due to the rejection of their proposal, the CJL is creating a new campaign within housing and the EMU that educates the students and allows them to work together with administration. This teamwork is important because the administration is not going to approve of the contract until they see a “culture shift.”

The Climate Justice League has collected the data that 72% of students voted in favor of getting rid of plastic water bottles while 85% of the faculty agreed. The community’s support of the initiative, that will aid to the campus’ sustainability and even save them selves money, may show evidence of the culture shift that administrators are looking for.

For more information on “Take Back The Tap,” please visit the Climate Justice League’s campaign website: http://www.climatejusticeleague.org/campaigns/tbtt/

Watch the video here! Water Bottle Ban

Kelcie Goetsch, DuckTV News