It's Winter Break! Bwog will be moving in slow motion.

Poland Spring No Longer?

One of the amazing things about water bottles are the limited expenses that come along with owning one. Some might actually call this the basis of the water bottle's appeal: It's a one-time expenditure, and after you buy one for $5, you never have to pay for water again, as water fountains are conveniently free.

On that note, we ask you to direct a critical eye towards Barnard. In efforts to discourage students from buying bottled water, BC is going to be offering students the chance to refill their plastic water bottles for 50 cents-per-fill with Poland Spring water, effectively capturing about half of the cost and none of the freshness of bottled water.

This filling station trial run will last until the 15th and might culminate with the ousting of bottled water from Java City altogether. The College has already started polling--though only 28 people have participated--the BC student body on the initiative.

The choice between harming the environment and paying for what's essentially tap water has never been so murky.


Posted by Ron : #1 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 5:09 PM (from campus)
Why don't they just put regular tap water "filling stations" (i.e., water fountains) everywhere? I guarantee this will cut down on water bottle purchases.
Posted by aaaaa : #2 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 5:44 PM (from campus)
i read this post twice and could not understand what angle the author was coming from. really bad sarcasm on this one or what? either way, i think this is a great idea, bottled water is a ridiculous way to destroy the environment and poland springs (probably) isn't tap water. but seriously, can someone figure this shit out? really convoluted post.
Posted by yuck you try to hard : #3 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 5:51 PM (from campus)
Learn to write!
Posted by no. i ask : #4 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 6:44 PM (from campus)
you to direct a critical eye toward your writing.
Posted by huh? : #5 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 6:47 PM (from campus)
i don't understand. rephrase please!
Posted by invisible_hand : #6 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 7:05 PM
there is a whole 'nother problem here: the fact that the water of northern maine, which is a public resource, is being bottled and sold by a private corporation.

all this when nyc's tap water is some of the best in thee world!
Posted by meh : #7 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 7:15 PM (from campus)
Drink tap water!!! NYC water is very good, cheap, and doesn't waste a butt-load of plastic. However, please clean out your water bottle occasionally as it is a great breeding ground for bacteria.
Posted by ... : #8 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 7:26 PM (from campus)
Also, constantly reusing plastic bottles is bad for you, as the plastic deteriorates
Posted by XJE : #9 (in reply to #2) · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 8:01 PM (from campus)
This is a nice gesture by Barnard, but it seems ineffectual. My guess here is that the sales people at Poland Spring pitched this as a great enviro-friendly solution and someone at Barnard Dining went for it.

Yes, the manufacture of disposable bottles wastes energy and materials and contributes to the waste stream. It's a good idea to try to make and therefore use less of them.

The real problem with bottled water is that it is a complete waste of energy to transport it. Poland Spring is tap water from Maine. Whether it comes in a 40 little bottles or one 5 gallon bottle, it weighs the same (minus, admittedly, the weight of the extra containers) and travels the same distance on the back of a truck.

As other commenters have pointed out, NYC has some of the best tap water in the world, and the system is solar/gravity powered.
Posted by agreed : #10 (in reply to #6) · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 8:12 PM (from campus)
I'm not certain I'm remembering this correctly, but I think they were doing the same thing in Michigan.
Posted by ... : #11 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 8:17 PM (from campus)
wait, i'm really confused... why are we paying 50 cents for water you can get from a drinking fountain? shouldn't it be free? is it easier to fill your water bottle at one of their stations? i mean, let's not pretend that there's a diffrence between poland spring and tap water.
Posted by Well, : #12 (in reply to #11) · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 8:42 PM (from campus)
Poland Spring usually does have that wonderful plastic taste, but I suppose that's lost in this case. So, yes, there is no difference.
Posted by yup : #13 (in reply to #10) · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 9:19 PM (from campus)
Aquafina water comes straight from the Detroit River.

Aquafina: taste the bodies.
Posted by ... : #14 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Isn't the real reason for buying bottled water the convenience? Even environmentalists forget their water bottle every so often and need to buy one.
Posted by fucking white people : #15 · reply · track
March 4, 2008 at 10:31 PM (from campus)
[external link to stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com]
Posted by its : #16 (in reply to #13) · reply · track
March 5, 2008 at 12:38 AM (from campus)
so true. i'm from detroit and aquafina is terrrrible. its like the fumes, exhaust, and dead bodies all bottled up for your drinking pleasure.
Posted by Daniel : #17 · reply · track
March 5, 2008 at 12:45 AM (from campus)
Also isn't tap water more rigorously tested and regulated than bottled water. The EPA regulates tap water and requires that it be tested multiple times per day. The FDA regulates bottled water and only requires that it be tested weekly (see [external link to www.foodandwaterwatch.org]

I applaud the commitment to reducing our ecological footprint, but I think this might miss the mark. I'm not sure I see any problem with a complete abandonment of bottled water sales in campus eateries. After all, it's not as if bottled water won't still be available on Broadway and Amsterdam. It'll just make it a bit less convenient to buy (which seems like a good thing).
Posted by FUCK YOU ALL : #18 · reply · track
March 5, 2008 at 1:08 AM (from campus)
I LIKE MY GODDAM BOTTLED WATER

AND NYC WATER TASTES LIKE NASTY, NASTY CHLORINE
Posted by Bubbles : #19 · reply · track
March 5, 2008 at 4:37 PM (from campus)
I wanted to write on behalf of SGA. We agree that the best scenerio for Barnard is one where there is absolutely no water sold on campus. However, we see that to make change on campus things have to happen in baby steps. We are working with Aramark to eventually reach a state where there is no bottled water. However, there are many hurdles to jump until we get there. For instance, there is resistance from food services as bottled water is there number one seller at Java City. Thus, the $.50 refill station serves as a compromise for now. Please understand that this is a two week trial period at the end of which positive response will bring us closer to elminating all bottled water sales on campus.
Posted by AGREED : #20 · reply · track
March 5, 2008 at 5:19 PM (from campus)
TAP WATER GOT ON MY COMPUTER AND NOW MY CAPS LOCK KEY IS BROKEN
Posted by ugh : #21 · reply · track
March 5, 2008 at 5:47 PM (from campus)
I really fucking hate Barnard
Posted by ugh.... : #22 (in reply to #21) · reply · track
March 5, 2008 at 6:24 PM
And what about this post reinforces your hatred?
Posted by jac : #23 · reply · track
March 11, 2008 at 1:34 PM (from campus)
[external link to yirmiyahu.blogspot.com]
Name:
Email:
Reply to:

Describe this color in one lowercase word.
27 °F, Fair

Search

About Us

Bwog is compiled by the staff of The Blue and White, Columbia University's undergraduate magazine.

Contact Us

Please send tips to bwgossip@columbia.edu.

Questions or concerns? Email bweditors@columbia.edu.

Bwog is always looking for new writing talent. Email bwog@columbia.edu.

In Print

Our Favorite Comments

Generic Asshole: [read]
"Ew! How could you ever go to [popular Columbia spot]? It's overpriced and so fake! For REAL [service/product]..."
good analysis: [read]
"Dspar. But you know what, I think the real reason there was a crash is because there are far too few..."

Bwogroll

Technical

Our headlines are syndicated through Atom. This site is powered by the Publicate Content Management System, which is available for free.

Events

01/10/2009


Apply now and keep everyone updated on the artistic pulse of the Columbia campus! Postcrypt Art Gallery is looking for a dedicated webmaster to maintain the official Postcrypt site, www.postcrypt.info. Please e-mail jenny@postcrypt.info with your name, year and school, experience, and statement of interest.

The application deadline is January 10, 2009.


01/24/2009

Contact email: info@eastasiareview.org

The Columbia East Asia Review is currently accepting submissions for its 2009 edition. Research papers from all disciplines and majors are welcome. For more information and submission details, please visit us at www.eastasiareview.org

or e-mail us at info@eastasiareview.org. The deadline for submissions is January 24, 2009.
East Asia Review Website


01/24/2009

Contact email: helvidius@columbia.edu

Publish that senior thesis! In its 20th year of publication, the Journal of Politics & Society is inviting submissions for its 2009 edition, which will be distributed in Barnes & Noble and Borders. Please email essays to helvidius@columbia.edu or visit http://www.helvedius.org
for more info. Deadline: January 24, 2009, all disciplines welcome.


01/26/2009

Contact email: cujh@columbia.edu

Positions on the editorial board are competitive, and choices are made by a committee of current editorial board members. To apply, send the following materials to cujh@columbia.edu with the subject line: Prospective Editor Application

Include your name, year, and majors and specializations;

A list of courses taken in the history department, or related courses relevant to the field of history (Philosophy of History; Historical Sociology, etc);

A writing sample of 5 to 7 pages, double-spaced, 12 point font dealing with a historical topic; it may be an excerpt from a larger paper, include a brief abstract if necessary;

An estimate of your availability for the Spring 2009 Semester; include other commitments and positions, and your ability to commit to the extensive reading and editing that a position on the editorial board requires.

The DEADLINE for all applications is JANUARY 26th, but we encourage you to prepare your application and send it right away. Email it with writing sample attached to: cujh@columbia.edu


02/01/2009

Contact email: periwynkle@gmail.com


Do you like to read and write about books, attend literary events/exhibitions, and frequent cafés and bookstores for readings by authors and poets? If you answered yes to any part of the above question, you should write for Spectator Books! My name is Yin Yin Lu, and I am the new Spectator A&E Books Editor. There are many benefits and inimitable opportunities for Books writers besides being able to see your name in print: interviewing all sorts of published writers, from debut novelists to Nobel Peace Prize winners, attending events at the NYPL, Symphony Space, book festivals, and museums for free, and getting free review copies of books before they are released! Last semester, for instance, I interviewed Lytton Smith and Karen Russell, both published graduates of the Columbia MFA program, attended a talk with critics James Wood and Daniel Mendelsohn at the NYPL, and heard Malcolm Gladwell speak at the New Yorker Festival.

Besides being exposed to these exciting opportunities, another reason you should write for Spectator Books is that it is not a long-term commitment - you can contribute as often or as little as you like. You can start your own column, write a recurring feature, or submit an article once every few weeks (or once the entire semester). Moreover, articles are flexible in terms of length and style, depending on whether they are features, reviews, or pieces for the Eye (Spectator's weekly arts and features magazine). Or you can post reviews of any length or style anytime you want on Spectacle, A&E's new and amazing blog.

There really are no obligations to being a Spec Books writer besides actually writing the articles that you want to. I will be sending e-mails with pitches and other information every week, and holding biweekly meetings at the Spec office, but those are not mandatory and are just an opportunity for me to assign pitches and meet my writers.

Completely enticed? Mildly interested? Still uncertain and would like more information? Whatever the case, e-mail me at periwynkle@gmail.com.


02/09/2009

Contact email: cufilmproductions@columbia.edu

Columbia Undergraduate Film Productions is launching our inaugural Production Season to write and produce original short films for our Film Festival!

CUFP Production Season will consist of intensive Screenwriters' Workshops and Directors' Workshops to offer you full creative and logistic support from your peers as you make your films on campus! We are looking for talented writers and directors who are passionate about film to create fresh, interesting material for our film festival.

Ideal candidates will be enthusiastic about film, dedicated to the workshop process, and excited to work on short films in a CUFP workshop setting. Workshops will be late Sunday afternoons and some Monday evenings.

The DEADLINE for Writers' Applications is Friday January 23.
The DEADLINE for Directors' Applications is Monday February 9

All Applicants: Send an e-mail with your name, e-mail, phone number, and school and class information to CUFPproductionseason@gmail.com. Please write a short personal statement (why are you interested in CUFP Production Season? How will you benefit from the workshop process?). Make sure to include all relevant experience with film and writing and/or directing.

**Writers: Please attach a screenwriting sample in Microsoft Word format. Writing sample should be maximum 5 pgs and should give us an idea of your narrative style and genre interest. It does not have to be the short film you will work on in workshop, but if it is not please include pitches/ideas for a short film you would like to workshop.


02/15/2009

Contact email: rhapsody@columbia.edu


Rhapsody in Blue, Columbia's urban affairs journal, having successfully, if belatedly gotten its first semester magazines in hand, is going to try again.

We're back to North America this semester. We need pitches from you. We want thoughtful, interesting, fun pieces that say something about cities. What are you interested in writing about? The first step is to send us a pitch--a paragraph about what you want to talk about, how will you do it? Pitches are due February 15. You'll hear from us if it's a go and drafts due a month later.

Old issues are on our website if you'd like to see more. Great opportunity to publish ideas from class, etc.

Send an email by us with any questions. Our FIRST MEETING for anyone interested in learning more about writing, editing, web or layout will be Wed, JAN 28, at 7:30, Broadway Piano Lounge. Also stay tuned for the study abroad blog, which should be going somewhere this semester. Let us know if you're interested in that as well.


01/6/2010

Contact email: bwog@columbia.edu

Email your event ads to bwog@columbia.edu.


Lost and Found

Lost (or found) an item? Email bwog@columbia.edu.