Free Water – It’s the Real Thing

Coca-Cola Encourages Reusable Water Bottle Use

Soft drink giant Coca-Cola is lending some pop to the push for reducing the number of single-use plastic water bottles finding their way into the trash stream and our waterways.

Sure, Coke is responsible for a significant number of plastic bottles in the marketplace. But the Georgia-based company has come up with a clever way to provide free drinking water for conscientious consumers who tote reusable water bottles.

This doesn’t mean Coke will be ending the sale of its DASANI brand bottled water any time soon. But it is offering offer a green alternative – and for that we congratulate them.

According to its Coca-Colacompany.com website, a DASANI “PureFill station” has been placed on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology in time for the fall semester.

The high-tech water fountain is equipped to provide fizz or flavor for a fee. You and I can locate a nearby machine via a special app.

“Young people, especially college students, always have two things with them throughout the day – a water bottle and a smartphone,” said Jeffrey Busch, director of equipment commercialization, Coca-Cola North America. “So we’re trying to dial in to those habits and add value to a water brand they know and love with a unique solution for on-the-go hydration.”

According to The Associated Press, Coca-Cola plans to quickly expand to 20 water machines on campuses in 15 states.

Here’s how it works – and how Coke stands to get a return on its good deed: You get filtered water for free, but with the swipe of a credit or debit card you can add bubbles or flavor for 5 cents an ounce, plus a 15-cent transaction fee.

So, if you opt for fizz and flavor you would pay $1.15 to fill your 20-ounce drink container.

Reusable water bottles and refill stations are growing in popularity as people become more concerned about plastic pollution and its effects on oceans, sea life and coastlines. The COAST is Clear blog recently shined its spotlight on No Beach Plastic and its mission to equip lifeguards with reusable water bottles and to provide water fill stations at strategic beach locations in California.

COAST raises its reusable water bottle and toasts those individuals and companies providing eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic items like straws, bags, and bottles.

Keeping our coast clear
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