Sustainable, but not see-through: reusable water bottles prohibited in library
Tilburg University’s newly introduced reusable water bottles may be sustainable, but they are not see-through. That means they are prohibited in the university library, where only transparent water bottles are allowed to be used.
The newly introduced reusable water bottle (right)
This week, Tilburg University added reusable water bottles to its vending machines. The water bottles, made from sugar cane instead of plastic, have been met with enthusiasm on campus. But students who want to use them while studying in the university library stumble on a problem: the bottles come in an all-white design, and the only drink that is permitted in the library is water in a transparent bottle.
On the university’s Facebook page, one student wrote: “So I have a reusable water bottle from Join the Pipe, but I am not allowed to use it in the library (in which I spend 99% of my free time) because ‘it is not see-through so we can’t check if it contains water’. So now I still have to buy plastic bottles so I am allowed to drink water in the library.”
No exception
Library staff members confirm that the use of non-transparent water bottles is prohibited in the library, and that reusable water bottles by Join the Pipe are no exception. Students are allowed to bring their sustainable water bottles into the library, but the bottles must remain in their bags. For environmentally conscious students who want to stay hydrated during their study sessions, it seems that moving from the computers to the coffee corner is the only way to enjoy a plastic-free water break.
Advertentie.
