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SOU students ban bottled-water sales on campus Sunday May 8, 2011 at 12:01 AM May 8, 2011 at 2:18 AM ASHLAND — On May 3, the Associated Students of Southern Oregon University, the student government of SOU, passed legislation banning bottled-water sales on campus to make the university more environmentally friendly. By Nils Holst ASHLAND — On May 3, the Associated Students of Southern Oregon University, the student government of SOU, passed legislation banning bottled-water sales on campus to make the university more environmentally friendly. "Clean water is one of the most essential elements of human life," said Isaac Taylor, a member of ASSOU, during a presentation before student government. "It shouldn't be privatized. We're hoping that SOU can become a leader in the fight against these corporations and bottled water." The bill is the brainchild of Rebekah Bergkoetter, an SOU student who's been working on the issue for more than a year. Working with the Ecology Center of the Siskiyous, a student group dedicated to environmental sustainability, she managed to push the bill through student government. "What we want to do is improve water quality and accessibility on campus," said Bergkoetter. "I mean, the water in the science building comes out orange." Under the provisions of the bill, bottled water would be removed from vending machines and Sodexo operations on campus. Sodexo is the university's food-service provider, responsible for the cafeterias and restaurants on campus. In turn, the bill would give reusable water bottles to incoming freshmen at orientation, as well as install several spigots and water purifiers across campus. The goal is to have the campus completely water-bottle free by June 2012. Bergkoetter garnered more than 400 student signatures in support of the legislation. "We have student support for this," said Bergkoetter. "From the petitions and the surveys, we've shown that lots of students support this. Once you learn that water is essentially stolen, it's hard not to want to do something." Although the bill is relatively new, the administration has shown support for the issue. "Off the top of my head, I don't see why it would be a problem," said Craig Morris, vice president of administration and finance. "I can see why students concerned with sustainability would vote for this legislation. ... My wife and I both drive hybrids; I certainly understand and support the values behind 'Everybody bring their own bottle.' " "Speaking for myself and the Sustainability Council, we are very supportive of it on campus," said Larry Blake, campus planning and sustainability officer. "When this was discussed about a year ago, we looked at the possibility of removing water bottles from campus." "There've been many campaigns that have gone on for this, but it's never happened," said Bergkoetter. "This project's been going on for years, with so many people involved, and it's nice to see it coming together." Nils Holst is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Reach him at [email protected].