When a group of HMS students realized that the School’s reliance on bottled water was damaging the environment, the solution was clear.
Students for Environmental Awareness in Medicine (SEAM) thought tap water just as good as the bottled alternative and less harmful to the environment, so they began a campaign to reduce the use of plastic containers at the Tosteson Medical Education Center (TMEC). SEAM’s efforts, with the help of the HMS Facilities Office, led to the installation of a new dispenser serving filtered tap water. The stainless steel unit was up and running in May, marking the end of a six-month effort by students and staff to kick the bottle.
SEAM members Erin Bettendorf, Devan Darby and Kelsey Leonardsmith first discussed the issue in the fall of 2009 and brought it to the attention of HMS staff at the start of 2010.
Darby, a second-year medical student, says the support of the Office of Facilities, and its director Peter Stroup, was vital to the project’s completion.Bottled water has a larger carbon footprint than tap water, she said, adding, “It’s wasteful using energy to create bottles and then driving that water to various locations where it can be consumed.”
Back in April, during Earth Week, SEAM held a blind taste test to see whether students preferred spring water, or filtered water from the city supply. Participants could not tell the difference.
Furthermore, Darby said, bottled water is not as strictly regulated as tap water and does not contain fluoride, meaning drinkers miss out on a key health benefit.
“Environmental, health and economic—all these issues came to a head. Luckily a lot of people agreed and came together to make this project happen,” she said.
