Bocconi Starts Down the Plastic Free Path

WITH CLASSES UNDER WAY AGAIN, THE UNIVERSITY IS PUSHING THE THEME OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY WITH THE INSTALLATION OF FILTERED WATER DISTRIBUTORS AND THE FREE PROVISION OF REUSABLE BOTTLES TO ALL NEW ENTERING STUDENTS

Do you know how many plastic water bottles were used on the Bocconi campus over the last year? Over 800 thousand. It seems clear that promoting environmental sustainability within the University must involve limiting this number. The most recent step forward in this direction is called B-Sustainable. It takes the form of a series of projects and actions to promote environmental awareness carried out by the Bocconi Sustainability Committee. Among these is the installation of new dispensers of fresh, filtered water in the various University buildings and residences (currently42 dispensers, soon to be 50 in full operation). Plus, all new students will receive an aluminum bottle in their welcome kit (about 5 thousand between BSc and MSc students). The new bottle can also be purchased at the Egea bookshop.

This action is one way the Bocconi community reaffirms its commitment to sustainability. According to the estimates of the Sustainability Committee, the use of water dispensers for a more responsible consumption of water will lead to an annual saving of over 8 thousand kilograms of plastic. Furthermore, the use of these fountains compared to vending machines will save about 57 thousand kg of CO2 (it would take over 2,800 trees to absorb it) and over 66 thousand Kwh of electricity, equal to 735 trips Milan-Rome with an electric car.

by Andrea Celauro
Translated by Richard Greenslade