Introduction - Arizona State University
Awareness and Action Campaign Water Refill Stations at Arizona State UniversityCohort #11IntroductionArizona State University is one of the largest universities in the country in one of the hottest states. Phoenix was ranked the hottest city in America, with 169 days of weather being 90+ degrees fahrenheit and a record high of 122 degrees. Arizona State University is the fourth largest university in the United States. That being said you would be led to believe that on the Tempe campus there would be an adequate amount of water refill stations on campus. This is not to say the other campuses do have enough, but they don’t have a student population size of over 50,000. The lack of water refill stations puts the universities reputation at risk. ASU prides itself on having a great sustainability practice by reducing waste such as plastic water bottles but has few water refill stations and ways to find these stations. Not to mention the health risks of heat exposure can be severe and sometimes fatal. According to AZ Central “In 2018, a total of 182 people died from heat-associated causes in the Phoenix area” (Totiyapungprasert). AZ Central also states that “25% of all heat related deaths each year occur in Maricopa County '' (McMahon). Arizona State University has a significant population of students who aren’t used to extreme heat like Arizona’s that can be at risk. Keeping students and staff safe should be the number one priority of any campus. Yet, the number of water stations around campus do not show safety as the number one priority. The ProblemsWe want to focus on two main problems that were stated above, safety and sustainability. Students pay a substantial tuition which should include any and all safety precautions. In most states, heat and hydration may not be considered an issue of safety; but in Arizona it is, specifically in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Along with the cost of classes, students also pay for their safety around campus. Students already have enough to worry about between grades, being away from home for the first time and their social life. Their overall wellbeing should not also be piling on top of them. ASU holds classes through all four seasons. The two that have the most enrolled students are fall and spring semesters. The average highs during the school year range from 103 degrees to 68 degrees fahrenheit (Tempe, AZ Monthly Weather Forecast). ASU also holds classes during the summer semester as well. The highest the temperature this past summer reached up to 120 degrees. In April alone the UV ranges from 7-8 during the hottest parts of the days which requires reduced time in the sun (Pelmorex Weather Networks Inc.). Which does not include the UV range in the summer which reaches over 11. Students who are from Arizona may be used to the heat and the UV rays, but they are still just as harmful. Students who are out of state are not used to the heat or the UV rays. So, not everyone on campus is used to temperatures like these or know how to accomodate to them, putting their safety at risk. Students coming from out of state may not know how to adapt to the extreme heat and may think they can continue their regular routine without hydrating. Two health problems associated with heat exposure are dehydration and heat stroke. These two go hand in hand, as stated by Hopkins Medical Center, “If a person becomes dehydrated and cannot sweat enough to cool his or her body, his or her internal temperature may rise to dangerously high levels” (Dehydration and Heat Stroke). The main way to prevent dehydration and heatstroke is to stay hydrated, which seems obvious, but as shown in an infographic, “The average American drinks just 2.5 cups of water daily. On average, adults in the U.S. drink well below the Institute of Medicine’s recommended intake of 10 cups of water per day” (7 Surprising Dehydration Statistics and Facts - Infographic). If a person is only drinking about 2.5 cups of water, they are very likely dehydrated which creates a higher risk of having a heat stroke. The side effects of both dehydration and heat stroke are excruciating to go through like diarrhea, vomiting, hallucinations or seizures. Some cases of heat stroke can get very dangerous and cause extensive damage. Hopkins Medical Center talks about high risk cases of heat stroke and states that some “Require IVs to get liquid into their bodies. Heat stroke can result in permanent damage or death. If one does go through heat stroke, bed rest is generally advised and body temperature may fluctuate abnormally for weeks after heat stroke” (Dehydration and Heat Stroke). Having a heat stroke is very severe and it can go as far as death. Permanent damage is more probable, but just as unwanted, as well as common long-term side effects. The online survey questioning ASU students about water on campus created by the LEAD cohort 11 found that 73% of ASU students feel dehydrated and 47% of the students can’t even find a water refill station on campus. This data makes it clear that ASU needs to add more water refill stations to make sure students and staff are not at risk for the health problems stated above. Having water fountains with refill stations in them around campus with more frequency will influence more people to drink the correct amount of water. They provide “safer, higher quality drinking water, as they are designed to filter out contaminants. This has the added benefit of making the water taste better, which means users are likely to drink more than they otherwise might” (Water Bottle Filling Stations: Help Fight the Plastic Crisis). The more refill stations around campus, the more likely students and staff will drink enough water to keep them healthily hydrated. Arizona State University is known for being #1 in innovation as well as sustainability. Sustainability is incredibly important to ASU, especially water waste. The university’s website states they want to “Achieve 15 percent reduction in water imported to the university by fiscal year 2023” (ASU Sustainable Campus). ASU also needs to consider plastic waste as well. Having water refill stations helps discourage students from wanting to purchase plastic water bottles as well as makes it more probable for them to just use a reusable water bottle. Which naturally reduces waste. Reducing the need for plastic water bottles also helps reduce plastic pollution that ends up in our oceans. The less plastic, the more it creates ASU as an even bigger promoter of sustainability. Plastic use isn’t only damaging the environment but also the economy. An article states, “95 percent of the value of plastic packaging is lost, due to the prevalence of disposable, single-use items. This costs the global economy somewhere between $80 and $120 billion each year. In addition, the UN Environment Programme predicts that by 2050, the plastics industry will consume 15 percent of the annual carbon budget, and 20 percent of global oil production” (Water Bottle Filling Stations: Help Fight the Plastic Crisis). The use of plastic water bottles is already a large issue with the economy, but it will become an even bigger problem over the next decade and so on. There are other ways ASU can reduce water waste to make up for new fountains such as putting caps on water usage in dorms. As of now there isn’t a real understanding of how much water students use, “With no data on dorm room water usage, It isn't clear exactly how much water ASU students use in their dorms. And with no water cap, students can use as much as they please” (Millman). Having more water refill stations could help eliminate the need for the water delivery service for dorms. I know many students who don’t use all their jugs of water that get delivered and not as many students would need them if they had more water refill stations in the dorms which would also help students save money. Installing certain water refill stations in schools or universities provides grants to apply for to help with reducing waste such as the company Washware Essentials. There are also some water refill companies that are made out of recycled materials such as “The Filtrine bottle filling station, 100% built in the US, from sustainable materials such as recycled stainless steel, helped to support the university’s core values” (Bottle Filling Stations - Drinking Solutions). Having water refill stations proves to have many benefits not only for students and staff but the university and its image. Personal Experience From An ASU FreshmanI was at lacrosse practice for the women’s club team and it was a night practice like always. We were probably half-way through practice when I started to feel faint like I was going to pass out. I sat down and felt extremely nauseous and went in and out of feeling dizzy while my coach held a wet towel to my neck. After a few minutes of this and no improvement our standby had to drive to get ice and a cold drink. This was due to the fact that no cold water was near the field where we had practice and I had already gone through my water. There was only a water fountain that contained warm water. As soon as I got ice it was put on my neck and in my bra to regulate my temperature. I also couldn’t stand up for what felt like thirty minutes. I didn’t feel well until an hour after being in air conditioning and drinking water. Luckily my coach and teammates were able to handle the situation and keep me cool and hydrated, as well as checked up on me afterward but not everyone on campus will have that same experience. Dehydration got the best of me as someone new to the climate and it wasn’t even being the hottest part of the day or even daylight for a matter of fact. -Personal Story by Isabella Hauter-Freshman at Arizona State University (Cohort #11)Navigating the Arizona State University campus can be pretty hard especially on the first day of classes. People are walking in all different directions, the sun is beating down on you, and there are so many buildings to differentiate from one another. On August 22nd, 2019 the high temperature for that day was 109 degrees fahrenheit. I was trying to find one of my classes but I kept getting lost which was extremely frustrating. What made it even more frustrating was that it was blistering hot out and I had ran out of water in my water bottle. As someone who was new to ASU, I did not know where any of the refill stations were. I could have been more prepared and brought an extra water bottle, but as someone new to Arizona I did not know what precautions to take. This resulted in me overheating, and I felt like I could pass out. Luckily, I eventually found the correct building for my class. I think future freshmen who are lost on campus and who aren’t familiar with Arizona would appreciate more water refill stations that are easy to find. -Personal Story by Fallon Hanson-Freshman at Arizona State University (Cohort #11) My personal experience on Arizona State University's campus is a prime example of why we must install more water stations that are abundant and accessible to students. I was walking to my first class of the day and had not been drinking an adequate amount of water. I noticed myself getting dizzier and dizzier by the second and I started sweating profusely. There were no water stations in sight and I had not brought my water bottle with me that day. Luckily I was with a classmate that was able to help me sit down and run into Starbucks to get me some water. I was so dizzy and unaware of my surroundings that my friend had to call a DART to take me to health services, causing me to have to skip my class that I was walking to. This experience is one that highlights the importance of having easier access to water on campus, especially since Arizona gets so hot.The SolutionsAll of the issues with health, safety, and sustainability can be solved with the installation of one product. To make sure students and staff at ASU are safe and healthy, our cohort proposes a couple of solutions to ensure safety. The obvious one is to overall have more water refill stations on campus. There are too many places on campus that do not accommodate the need for water. The amount of places to get water are far too little. For example, the dorm Manzanita only has one water fountain/refill station out of the sixteen floors and can only be found in the gym. That isn’t nearly enough and yes, dorms do have a water service through ASU but not every student can afford it making it not completely practical. We want students drinking fresh, clean and cold water so it is important that the water fountains installed are water refill stations. Ensuring there are enough refill stations in the dorms is a necessity because without them it makes it extremely difficult to get to water if one doest have a brita or water service. With more refill stations it will be easier to keep your bottle filled going from class to class or any other destination on campus. Not only will it be easier, it will also make travel from class to class much safer. This will make it much more convenient to refill reusable water bottles instead of buying them making the university even more of a promoter of sustainability. Using water refill stations will also help students subconsciously bring refillable water bottles to keep them hydrated. This could help limit the amount of vending machines which would reduce costs for the students and the school as they wouldn’t need to stock beverage vending machines as much.In addition, after installation of these refill stations having a clear map on the campus maps or the ASU website for where all the water refill stations are would be helpful. Many students also have the ASU app which is super helpful when trying to find classes in the beginning of semesters, so having the map on the app also will help students and staff. A huge problem that students face is not even being able to find a water refill station, so even if there were enough on campus they aren’t easily accessible. Realistically, not that many water refill stations would need to be added if there simply was a map to show where they all are. Knowing where the closest water refill station is on campus while walking to class would increase the convenience of getting water instead of having to waste time by blindly looking for one, having to buy water or using a water fountain which isn’t as convenient. Overall, the problems can be solved by adding additional water refill stations. The safety and sustainability of students and staff and the ASU campus would benefit in several ways. Students and staff would benefit by having a higher and easier chance of staying hydrated. This will occur because the frequency of the stations will be more abundant and easier to find all around campus. Walking from class to class in the extreme heat and high UV rays will become more safe when students and staff are hydrated. Not only will this keep everyone hydrated, it will also lower the risk of a heat stroke and long-term damage. Arizona State University will also benefit from these additional water stations by being able to reduce the amount of plastic water bottles used by students and staff on and around the campus. This is going to create less plastic and waste; making ASU high in sustainability. The online survey conducted by LEAD cohort 11 provided insightful information into the student body at ASU. As stated, we found that a lot of students are dehydrated while on campus and that students struggle to find the locations of where to refill water bottles or get a drink of water. If and when these water stations are added on campus the benefits will be substantial and will last for years on end. Work Cited7 Surprising Dehydration Statistics and Facts - Infographic. (n.d.). Retrieved from ASU Sustainable Campus. (n.d.). Retrieved from Filling Stations - Drinking Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved from and Heat Stroke. (n.d.). Retrieved from , E. (2016, November 11). ASU and H2O: How the university uses its water. Retrieved from Survey, February to March 2020Pelmorex Weather Networks Inc. (n.d.). Tempe, AZ window._config.masthead_has_content = true; Retrieved from , AZ Monthly Weather Forecast. (2020, April 4). Retrieved from Totiyapungprasert, P. (2019, May 7). Heat deaths in Phoenix reached a record high in 2018. Retrieved from Bottle Filling Stations: Help Fight the Plastic Crisis. (n.d.). Retrieved from ................
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