Press Releases
NYU Stern Students Awarded $10K "FilterForGood Eco-Challenge" Grant
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New York University’s Stern School of Business’ Stern Campus Greening Initiative (SCGI) received a $10,000.00 grant from The Brita Products Company for their proposal to install 25+ water bottle filing stations in NYU campus buildings. The grant is provided by the College FilterForGood Eco-Challenge www.filterforgood.com/ecochallenge/, which challenges college students to make their campuses more sustainable. The Eco-Challenge is an extension of Brita’s FilterForGood program aimed at reducing bottled water waste.
The SCGI students, led by Sarah Driansky, wanted to build on one of their already successful sustainability initiatives at Stern—the installation of water bottle refill stations mounted to water fountains throughout the Kaufman Management Center (KMEC).
“The refill stations dispense cold, filtered water right from the same domestic water line that already supplies the water fountain,” said Driansky. “These refill stations in KMEC are so popular that students line up to use them between classes, and with the Eco-Challenge Grant, we can expand the reusable water bottle movement throughout New York University,” she said.
Along with the installation of the refill stations, there is a built-in educational component. With the new installations, SCGI plans on adding permanent signs with directions on how to use the refilling station, along with five interesting facts about water bottle reuse and plastic water bottles. In addition to the installation of the 25+ refill stations, Driansky also intends to use the Eco-Challenge Grant monies to employ a professional engineer to assist in writing and publishing a standard specification for the refill stations which would be made available via the web to assist other universities in installing the water bottle refill stations on their campuses.
“Overall, our team is focused on getting the message that reusable water bottles are one of the easiest ways to make a significant impact on both an individual’s wallet and carbon footprint,” said Driansky. “Through the installation of 25+ more water bottle refill stations and the development of specifications and presentations, we will be able to penetrate the wider NYU community and other MBA programs and universities across the country,” she said.
About Stern Campus Greening Initiative:
The vision of SCGI is a Stern community, served by green facilities, in which all students are empowered to incorporate sustainability practices into their professional, academic and personal lives. The mission of SCGI is to engage, enable and empower Stern students to lead sustainable organizations and lives by: 1) creating and supporting learning opportunities that educate students on issues of sustainability; 2) providing applied/real world opportunities to help students build a skill set in sustainability practices; 3) improving Stern’s environmental footprint.
About Brita’s FilterForGood Eco-Challenge:
Each year, Americans purchase billions plastic water bottles. Aside from the environmental impact of all that waste, Americans are spending a great deal on bottled water. Brita partnered with Nalgene to launch the FilterForGood campaign, which encourages people to reduce their bottled water waste by switching to reusable bottles filled with filtered water. Since the campaign launched in 2007, more than 180,000 people have taken the pledge to reduce their bottled water waste, keeping an estimated 189 million disposable bottles out of landfills.
Press Contact: Christopher James | (212) 998-6876
The SCGI students, led by Sarah Driansky, wanted to build on one of their already successful sustainability initiatives at Stern—the installation of water bottle refill stations mounted to water fountains throughout the Kaufman Management Center (KMEC).
“The refill stations dispense cold, filtered water right from the same domestic water line that already supplies the water fountain,” said Driansky. “These refill stations in KMEC are so popular that students line up to use them between classes, and with the Eco-Challenge Grant, we can expand the reusable water bottle movement throughout New York University,” she said.
Along with the installation of the refill stations, there is a built-in educational component. With the new installations, SCGI plans on adding permanent signs with directions on how to use the refilling station, along with five interesting facts about water bottle reuse and plastic water bottles. In addition to the installation of the 25+ refill stations, Driansky also intends to use the Eco-Challenge Grant monies to employ a professional engineer to assist in writing and publishing a standard specification for the refill stations which would be made available via the web to assist other universities in installing the water bottle refill stations on their campuses.
“Overall, our team is focused on getting the message that reusable water bottles are one of the easiest ways to make a significant impact on both an individual’s wallet and carbon footprint,” said Driansky. “Through the installation of 25+ more water bottle refill stations and the development of specifications and presentations, we will be able to penetrate the wider NYU community and other MBA programs and universities across the country,” she said.
About Stern Campus Greening Initiative:
The vision of SCGI is a Stern community, served by green facilities, in which all students are empowered to incorporate sustainability practices into their professional, academic and personal lives. The mission of SCGI is to engage, enable and empower Stern students to lead sustainable organizations and lives by: 1) creating and supporting learning opportunities that educate students on issues of sustainability; 2) providing applied/real world opportunities to help students build a skill set in sustainability practices; 3) improving Stern’s environmental footprint.
About Brita’s FilterForGood Eco-Challenge:
Each year, Americans purchase billions plastic water bottles. Aside from the environmental impact of all that waste, Americans are spending a great deal on bottled water. Brita partnered with Nalgene to launch the FilterForGood campaign, which encourages people to reduce their bottled water waste by switching to reusable bottles filled with filtered water. Since the campaign launched in 2007, more than 180,000 people have taken the pledge to reduce their bottled water waste, keeping an estimated 189 million disposable bottles out of landfills.
Press Contact: Christopher James | (212) 998-6876