JMU wants you to go green

What’s the first thing you grab before heading the gym? A water bottle? Let me guess, it’s a plastic bottled water from a 12-pack you bought at Wal-Mart?

People often claim that they buy bottled water because of convenience, supposed health benefits and better taste. Well the thing is that bottled water isn’t any healthier than tap water. Not only are plastic water bottles harming the environment, but they are also harming your health.

JMU alumna and two-time first place winner of the Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Brenna Walsh, who graduated with a BS in chemistry in 2015 says that aside from Polystyrene, Biphenyl A or Polyvinyl Chloride, you can also find two other chemicals by the name of Phthalates and Polycarbonate which can be harmful to the body.

For a better understanding, Polystyrene is a synthetic polymer found commonly in Styrofoam.

Polyvinyl Chloride is one of the most widely used plastic polymers commonly used in plumbing pipes, doors and windows, bottles, credit cards, imitation leather, inflatable products.

Biphenyl A is an organic synthetic compound used in bottles, CDs, DVDs, food packaging and even sports equipment.

So what are the benefits in having a BPA-free water bottle?

Brenna Walsh, JMU Alumna, Chemistry

“BPA is very harmful to human health. It is an endocrine disruptor meaning it impacts hormone system. It can mimic the natural estrogen hormone in the human body and can cause tumors, early puberty, birth defects, developmental disorders and cancer, among many other health concerns.”

Dr. Brycelyn Boardman, Assistant Professor of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department

“Bisphenyl A, or BPA, can be found trapped within the polymers that most water bottles are made out of.

If you leave the water bottles in your car or some other location where the water gets very hot, you will increase your risk of pulling BPA into the water. This also correlates to microwaving certain types of plastic as heat makes it easier for the impurities to leave the polymer matrix and enter whatever it is you have in the container.

The benefit therefore to BPA free bottles is that you completely remove that risk and don’t have to worry about the harmful chemicals entering your water.”

Aside from chemicals, consumers also have to be aware of metal atoms. But alas, there is a solution–buying a reusable water bottle such as a Nalgene, Cambelbak or Klean that you can fill up courtesy of a friendly server, at home or at a nearby water fountain depending on where you are.

When purchasing a water bottle you want to go for the one that best fits your needs.There is no better brand. It completely depends on the consumer.

Every fall Dukes are welcomed to campus with FREE reusable mugs from JMU Dinning Services. Students  are given the opportunity to use their cups at all dinning location in order to decrease waste.

JMU Dining Reusable Mugs, pre-2009 and now. Here’s to making an impact for 20+ years! #TrackYourImpact #JMUGreenTips pic.twitter.com/WWRMSKJI6G

— JMU Dining Services (@JMUDining) August 16, 2015

JMU first began recycling in 1995 and since, in an effort to further increase recycling on campus, JMU’s Recycling and Housekeeping staff have become proactive in educating the community on the proper disposal and future impact of global waste stream issues.

Megan Mathewson, Junior, Media Arts and Design

“I use reusable water bottles because I want to continuously buy cases of water and spend the extra money on drinks at the on-campus dining halls.”

Maranda Scott, Senior, Media Arts and Design 

“I use a Contigo water bottle. It’s better for the environment, [it’s] convenient to fill up [and] it also holds more water.”

Paytience Shaffer, Junior, Media Arts and Design

Shaffer prefers the reusable bottles not only because they’re better for the environment, but because they offer better attributes like freezy middles, straws and filters.

“If you drink an entire regular bottle, you would have to buy another and create waste where you could fill the reusable with [tap] water and have fresh filtered water anywhere.”

But sometimes trying to remember to fill up your water bottle before you leave home can be a hassle.

Torin Porter, Junior, Biology

“Plastic bottles are more accessible. I buy packs of them because they’re useful to take on the road when I’m in a rush. Just grab and go.”

Julia Lewis, Sophomore, Media Arts and Design

“I try to use reusable [water bottles], but I don’t always remember to bring one so sometimes I buy plastic ones in the dining halls.”

JMU currently houses around 350 waste bins on campus using the 6Rs as a guiding principle towards waste: rethink, reduce, reuse, repair/restore, redistribute, and recycle. The campus also features unique water fountains that keep a digital counter of how many plastic bottles have been saved by refilling existing bottles.

One water pitcher filter can effectively replace as much as 300 standard 16.9-ounce bottles. And for about $10 each, you can purchase a 16-ounce or 32-ounce water bottle, saving you hundreds of dollars every year on bottled water.

So what do you say, will you be making the switch?