Banning Bottled Water Sales

[YankeeFan]

Loyola University in Chicago is going to ban the sale of bottled water on campus:

Following a year-long educational campaign, “UnCap Loyola,” on March 28, 2012, a majority of students passed a referendum to phase out bottled water on Loyola University Chicago’s campuses. The campaign, led by the Student Environmental Alliance (SEA), in partnership with Loyola’s Unified Student Government Association (USGA), was focused on the growing concern on campus about local water privatization and fair access to water on a global level.

“We consider the sale of bottled water on campus in conflict with the Jesuit tradition and Loyola’s mission ‘to be in service of humanity through learning, justice and faith.’ We feel that safe and accessible water is a fundamental human right and must not be handled in ways that put profits over people,” SEA and USGA representatives said in a joint statement.

http://blogs.luc.edu/pressreleases/2012/05/03/loyola-university-chicago-to-ban-bottled-water-sales-on-campus/

Personally, I almost never buy bottled water. It's expensive, and not worth it in my opinion. It is also very "un-green".

Still don't think I'd support a ban of it.

Also, don't college kids have something more important to organize and protest against?

 

[cranberry]

No need to "ban" anything but who would expect a school to try educating students and faculty about the issue?

 

[LongTimeListener]

Also, don't college kids have something more important to organize and protest against?

No. Not unless the Student Senate President and the newspaper's editor-in-chief are locked in a battle to the death.

 

[YankeeFan]

No need to "ban" anything but who would expect a school to try educating students and faculty about the issue?

How do you do it?

If they want to host a panel discussion, that gives both sides an opportunity to speak, that's fine with me.

But, I don't see how it's really in the school's "mission" to spend time on this issue -- at least not in a class room.

And, there are hundreds of "issues" like this. How does the school go about choosing which ones to "educate" their students on?

What it is, is liberal students trying to "legislate" their "morals" and imposing them on the rest of the student body.

I mean, come on. if you don't like bottled water, don't buy it. Why the need to ban it?

Lastly, seems like a pretty "active" campus. They were also up in arms when their food service provider changed their coffee from the local roaster to Starbucks:

http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/debate-continues-over-metropolis-return-loyolas-food-provider-meets-with-local-coffee-shop-to-explain-switch

This move also did not meet their "Jesuit tradition".

 

[cranberry]

No need to "ban" anything but who would expect a school to try educating students and faculty about the issue?

How do you do it?

If they want to host a panel discussion, that gives both sides an opportunity to speak, that's fine with me.

But, I don't see how it's really in the school's "mission" to spend time on this issue -- at least not in a class room.

And, there are hundreds of "issues" like this. How does the school go about choosing which ones to "educate" their students on?

What it is, is liberal students trying to "legislate" their "morals" and imposing them on the rest of the student body.

I mean, come on. if you don't like bottled water, don't buy it. Why the need to ban it?

Lastly, seems like a pretty "active" campus. They were also up in arms when their food service provider changed their coffee from the local roaster to Starbucks:

http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/debate-continues-over-metropolis-return-loyolas-food-provider-meets-with-local-coffee-shop-to-explain-switch

This move also did not meet their "Jesuit tradition".

It's a simple campaign for the environmental club: Much better to use some kind of filtering device (if you feel it's necessary) and/or carry a re-usable water bottle.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Calling it a ban is probably a bit wrong. They aren't banning it on campus. They are just not going to sell it there.




Also, bottled water is pretty much just tap water.

 

[YankeeFan]

It's a simple campaign for the environmental club: Much better to use some kind of filtering device (if you feel it's necessary) and/or carry a re-usable water bottle.

I agree.

To me, what's hypocritical is the whole "legislating morality" thing.

Trying to get birth control pills removed from the health clinic is a "simple campaign" for the Opus Dei chapter.

"Get your hands off me my bottled water, you damn dirty ape!"

 

[YankeeFan]

Calling it a ban is probably a bit wrong. They aren't banning it on campus. They are just not going to sell it there.

Also, bottled water is pretty much just tap water.

OK, true. But, it's a legal product that has traditionally been sold on campus.

Why should the morals of the students who don't want bottled water to be sold on campus trump those who want it available?

What else shouldn't be allowed to be sold on campus?

 

[HC]

It seems to me that they're perfectly within their rights to decide they don't want to sell bottled water on campus. They're not forbidding anyone to have bottled water.

Personally, unless you live in an area with water problems, buying bottled water is stupid in almost every way IMO. In Toronto, our tap water is purer than many bottled waters but I still see people walking out of the grocery store carrying large flats of a product they can get for free.

Absolute marketing genius ... convincing to buy free stuff.

 

[Azrael]

Why should the morals of the students who don't want bottled water to be sold on campus trump those who want it available?

Because a majority of students voted that way in a referendum?

 

[J-School Blue]

To me, what's hypocritical is the whole "legislating morality" thing.

It's Loyola. A Jesuit Catholic school legislating morality on campus seems about standard.

I think it's dumb, but of all the things that are dumb about it, using a moral argument to justify it doesn't strike me as one of them.

 

[Ace]

Why is banning bottled water any dumber than paying $3.50 for bottled water than is often just tap water?

 

[YankeeFan]

It seems to me that they're perfectly within their rights to decide they don't want to sell bottled water on campus. They're not forbidding anyone to have bottled water.

And, none of the "bans" on Birth Control actually banned it

Personally, unless you live in an area with water problems, buying bottled water is stupid in almost every way IMO. In Toronto, our tap water is purer than many bottled waters but I still see people walking out of the grocery store carrying large flats of a product they can get for free.

Absolute marketing genius ... convincing to buy free stuff.

I agree. So what?

Because a majority of students voted that way in a referendum?

So what? Is that how the decision should be made?

Should a simple majority be able to get the sale of any product banned on campus?

It's Loyola. A Jesuit Catholic school legislating morality on campus seems about standard.

I think it's dumb, but of all the things that are dumb about it, using a moral argument to justify it doesn't strike me as one of them.

Look, on one hand, I would say that Loyola should have the right to ban any product. And, they should be able to apply their moral standards to the decision.

But, I doubt the liberal students who want to ban bottled water sales would look at it the same way, if the same logic was applied to other products.

And, I think it's hypocritical of the liberal students, who normally object to people trying to legislate morality.

 

[deskslave]

I just think the president should have the courage to say how he feels about this. To whom might I express my concern?

 

[Stitch]

Where's the outrage that I can't get a bottle of Coke on campus?

 

[LongTimeListener]

I just think the president should have the courage to say how he feels about this. To whom might I express my concern?

I think that applies only to Perrier, and only in Ohio.

 

[Azrael]

I agree. So what?

Because a majority of students voted that way in a referendum?

So what? Is that how the decision should be made?

Should a simple majority be able to get the sale of any product banned on campus?

Let's all try to recall this moment the next time anyone uses the phrase "markeplace of ideas."

 

[The Big Ragu]

The marketplace of ideas has rejected Evian.

Viva la Welch's Grape Juice!

 

[Point of Order]

Good for them. Institutions like higher education is where movements like this should start.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Also, don't college kids have something more important to organize and protest against?

Well, there's Wall Street.