Five reasons to Fill it Forward this fall

If you haven’t heard the buzz on campus yet, this article will ‘fill’ you in. UCalgary has proudly rolled out Fill it Forward, a worldwide initiative that gives a cup of clean water to someone in need each time you refill your reusable cups, mugs and bottles, all while tracking your environmental footprint and addressing the global challenge of access to clean water.

“UCalgary adopted this program because we realize that disposable cup and bottle waste and access to clean water are two major, global issues, and we want to be part of the solution,” says Jill Blackie, associate director, food culture and sustainability projects and UCalgary Fill it Forward lead. “Our goal is to create a campus culture that uses reusable water bottles to reduce waste, while giving back to those in need.”

To encourage you to join this great cause, here are five reasons why you should Fill it Forward this semester:  

1. According to Canadian Geographic, estimates suggest that Canadians use between six and two billion disposable coffee cups per year. Fill it Forward directly impacts these numbers by advocating for the use of a reusable cup, mug or bottle in the program.
    
2. UCalgary is a sustainability leader and encourages you to be one, too. By taking part in Fill it Forward, you will participate in a program that specifically supports making sustainability an everyday habit. Learn more.
    
3. The best part of Fill it Forward? Every time you refill your reusable cup, mug or bottle, you give a cup of clean water to a person in need. Did you know?*

• Every day women and girls spend 200 million hours collecting water.
• Water and sanitation related diseases kill nearly one million people annually.
• Globally 844 million people — one in nine — lack access to safe water.

4. Fill it Forward was designed to be easy and quick to navigate. All you have to do is download the app, get your sticker and FILL IT, SCAN IT AND GIVE IT. Two stickers are available: one for hot and one for cold beverages.
    
5. You could win awesome monthly prizes by participating in the program. The more times you refill, the more points you earn. High point earners are automatically entered to win monthly prizes.

Could it get any better than this? If you’re ready to help UCalgary build a community of sustainability leaders, measure your impact and stay engaged in the spirit of campus reciprocity, pick up your Fill it Forward sticker at the Sustainable Resource Centre in SB 101, Ancillary Services in The Dining Centre, The Landing, Starbucks outlets, bookstore or Foothills Campus in the communications department (7th floor of TRW in the Dean’s Office).

Find more information here.