Concord, MA became the first town in America to ban the sale of single serving bottled water. BeCause Water was thrilled to cover an issue in our own state where citizens were fighting to change the law. By now, the Concord Bottle Ban has made national news as the debate continues to rage: Is the decision to ban plastic water bottles a step to protect the environment, or a challenge to personal freedoms?
Mixed Response
As expected, people on both sides of the plastic bottle ban have a lot to say. Supporters of the ban, spearheaded by an 84 year old grandmother and activist, believe that the ban is environmentally responsible and will lead to less trash in landfills.
Not everyone is convinced that Concord’s ban on plastic bottles will yield positive effects. While all agree that cutting down on plastic waste is a good goal, many are not convinced that a ban on plastic bottle sales will make a difference. Many worry that the plastic bottle ban will lead to more changes that limit personal freedom in the name of environmentalism.
In the Press
Concord’s ban on plastic water bottles is slated to come into law January 1st, 2013, though the controversial bill is still facing dissent. Attorney General Martha Coakley, who approved the language of the bill, will undoubtedly be judged on how the bill functions once put into law. There has been a mixed response to the bill within Massachusetts: Boston Magazine praised the intent of the bill while the Boston Globe questioned the bill’s effect on personal choice.
Many publications (and citizens) are still undecided about the bill. The LA Times praises the goal of reducing plastic waste in landfills, but sees problems in the town’s approach of completely banning plastic water bottles. Although the ban begins in less than a month, the debate on this bill is far from over.
Moving Forward
As Concord prepares for the future, we have already seen the effects of the bottle ban in other cities. Residents of Brookline, MA have already convened to ban styrofoam serving containers starting in December, 2013. It seems it is only a matter of time before more Massachusetts communities take similar action.
The Concord Bottle Ban has become big news in America and has made environmental protection in Massachusetts a national debate. When January 1st comes, Concord will be the only city in the United States where you cannot purchase a bottle of water.
Attorney General Approves Concord Bottled Water Ban
The ongoing struggle to ban single serving plastic water bottles in Concord, MA has finally reached a resolution. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley gave her OK to a new bylaw that would eliminate the sale of single serving plastic water bottles throughout the town of Concord. Coakley was involved to ensure that the new bylaw, which was written and fought for by an 84 year old grandmother, did not violate state or constitutional law. This was the third attempt to get the bill through the Attorney General’s office.
The bill was approved by the voters of Concord in April with a 403-364 decision. Since then the bill has been combed over by the Attorney General to make sure that the wording of the bill did not conflict with any state or constitutional right. The group of concerned citizens who drafted the bills are ecstatic, and say the small change will cut down on plastic waste. The success of their efforts shows that with effort and commitment, a concerned group of citizens can influence their community.
The Concord Bottled Water Ban
Violators of the ban will receive a warning for their first offense, and then incur $25 and $50 fines for the second and all subsequent violations. There are provisions in the bill that allow businesses to sell plastic water bottles in an emergency situation. While most residents are not worried about the plastic bottle ban, Attorney General Coakley received a number of letters from citizens concerned that their freedoms were being impinged upon. This issue has played out over a number of months, and will continue to develop as the bill comes into law.
As the Concord Plastic Bottle Ban takes effect, it will be an excellent chance to see the results of citizen activism from a town level. There will be reduced plastic waste in Concord, but will the ban on plastic bottles become too much of a challenge to personal freedoms? The plastic bottle ban in Concord has made national news, and will continue to be a talking point as the town’s new policies take effect.
Let’s be real. How many times have you heard of the typical internship that entails slaving over brewing the coffee for the office, taking lunch orders, or filing paperwork all day. THIS is exactly what BeCause Water was looking for and received from our interns this summer: a superior morning roast, a Chipotle Burrito, and an epic assembly line of paper filing.
Now try forgiving our crude sarcasm and replacing the duties of coffee brewing with creative concept brewing, lunch orders with executing detail specific tasks, and paper filing with organizing activities for N.E.’s largest “green” festival, and you’re sure to receive a better understanding of what our interns took on this summer.
One of the first discussions we had as a team is how atypical this internship would be. Working for a start-up in its development stage means being a self-motivator, having flexibility in taking on various day-to-day assignments, executing certain tasks that are uncharted water to the company, and enjoying the materialization of seeing an idea turn into an actuality.
BeCause Water couldn’t have been any luckier in finding a summer crew to carry out its mission in developing a company to solve the water crisis. The number one requirement in gaining acceptance for this internship that each applicant received was answering the question, “Why Water Sustainability and why do you care?”
A 4.0 GPA and a high ranking in the Honor Society are impressive credentials, but if that resume conquistador doesn’t share the vision of the company then it’s safe to expect a letter of recommendation as the only driver of the intern’s day.
The team reported into work everyday with a genuine enjoyment and fulfillment in carrying out their respective tasks. Either that or they pulled an Oscar Award deserving acting job in tricking me to believe so (which I can be fine with too).
Meet the summer crew and learn why their internships were far from ordinary.
Suzy Whalen– PR Coordinator
Suzy Whalen is a rising senior at Boston College, majoring in English and Environmental Studies. Suzy has been involved in sustainability efforts since high school in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and hopes to continue this passion in her future career path. Her passions include local and healthy food, running, her family and friends, and traveling. She spent the last semester in Quito, Ecuador and some time in the Galapagos Islands, learning the Spanish language and Ecuadorian culture while visiting and exploring the many different ecosystems present in the country, further inspiring her passion for protecting the environment.
“Sustainability has always been a passion of mine, but working with BeCause Water definitely solidified my desire to pursue a sustainability career of some kind. I’ve learned so much about marketing, business, and water sustainability through this internship: an education that I will be able to put towards so many of my future endeavors. While I have always tried to lead a sustainable lifestyle, and never drank bottled water personally, working with BeCause Water has inspired me to provoke others to do the same and make a bigger impact. I look so forward to taking these skills to my campus at BC for my senior year to truly make a difference on a campus I love!”
Tim Murphy– Copywriter & Editor
Tim Murphy is a graduate of Trinity College with a BA in English Literature. In college he helped manage the blog for an arts & music house on campus. He is a former college athlete and avid fan of the New York Red Bulls. He is excited to be a part of the Because Water team and hopes to promote water sustainability and environmentally responsible business.
“I have really enjoyed fighting for water sustainability with BeCause Water, and learning about the global water crisis. It surprised me how much water I could conserve with just a few simple changes to my lifestyle and a little motivation. I am now deeply concerned with water sustainability and the shortcomings in water conservation in the United States, and I feel responsible for educating people about sustainability. I know that water related issues will always be relevant and that our decisions now affect the future, and I hope that I can be an advocate for responsible water usage into the future.”
Naum Kaluzkny– Marketing & Web Development Coordinator
Naum Kaluzhny is currently a Senior at Bryant University concentrating in Marketing. He graduated Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts in 2009. Naum was awarded second place in the E-Pitch competition in 2010 for his team’s eco-friendly business plan. In 2012, his team received third place in a service learning competition for the development of an online marketing campaign for a non-profit organization. Ultimately he is passionate about helping in local communities while striving to better environment as well as others lives.
“Over the summer, I have been designing and developing the new website for becausewater.com (launching soon). I also supported the rest of the team with producing business cards and flyers in order to further the marketing efforts and to help all members spread awareness for the cause. I acted as a vendor and promoter for the company at this years Boston GreenFest educating the community about water sustainability as well as the benefits of drinking tap water over bottled water. My view on the matter of water changed rapidly over the summer as I learned more and more about the importance of sustainability and doing the individual part of making the world a cleaner and better place. I hope to continue my efforts in spreading the message to local communities and universities during the school year, and will keep fighting for the cause.”
So the first ever BeCause Water scavenger hunt was held last weekend as we hydrated, educated, and entertained at Greenfest. Congratulations to our $100 1st place winner team, “Hot Chicks with Kids” and to our runner-up Neil the Engineer who won a $50 gift certificate to Game On.
This is only the beginning of our series of Boston-based scavenger hunts. Be sure to stay updated on all of our future events and contests on Facebook,Twitter @BeCause_Water and our newsletter below:
