Sustainable Westport Launches UNplastic Westport
The organization takes another step in the effort to protect our environment in Westport with this new program.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com.
Johanna Martell of Sustainable Westport fills one of the organization's branded refillable water bottles at the new water bottle refilling stations at the Compo Beach basketball courts Users simply place their refillable bottle in the dispenser and press the button to fill. There are also two traditional drinking fountains.
Sustainable Westport’s goal is to increase the number of publically available water bottle filling stations for people to fill up their reusable water bottles to stay hydrated rather than buying plastic water bottles.
Led by Co-directors Gately Ross and Johanna Martell, Sustainable Westport is working closely with town leadership and the Department of Parks & Recreation to identify water bottle-filling locations based on viability, visibility and impact. They unveiled their first water bottle-filling station at Compo Basketball courts in conjunction with the Kickoff to Summer event on June 13th. A second station, which includes a pet fountain, at Winslow Dog Park has also now opened. The next locations on their list include Grace Salmon Park, Burying Hill Beach, Old Mill Beach and Town Farms Ball Complex – all high traffic recreational areas. These water bottle filling stations will eliminate the need for tens of thousands of single-use plastic water bottles a year.
Sustainable Westport is partnering with other civic organizations in town to fund and install these stations and is actively seeking corporate sponsors, grants and individual donors to help expand the refill network across town. Organizations or individuals interested in supporting this initiative or learning more about sponsorship opportunities are encouraged to reach out to Sustainable Westport.
Sustainable Westport is thrilled to build a network of refill stations that will benefit our entire community - residents and visitors of all ages, as well as future generations! To learn more visit Sustainable Westport and follow Sustainable Westport on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com.
Sustainable Westport’s mission is to lead the way as they inspire and equip the community to act now on sustainability. In addition to educating our community, Sustainable Westport leads by example by implementing real solutions that make our community healthier and address the urgent issue of climate change.
This year, in addition to their ongoing work to reduce waste, protect clean air and promote programs that make sustainable choices easier every day, Sustainable Westport has launched UnPlastic Westport — a bold new initiative focused on reducing single-use plastic and expanding public water bottle-filling stations throughout town. Sustainable Westport’s goal is to turn shared intention into measurable, community-wide change and help people break their single-use plastic habits.
In the U.S., single-use plastic water bottle consumption has grown from about 3 billion bottles in 1997 to 86 billion in 2021. Convenience comes at a cost to human and environmental health, from the microplastics directly ingested into our bodies, to plastic waste polluting oceans and waterways, clogging landfills, and leaching toxins into our air, soil and water. Not to mention the fossil fuels needed to produce the plastic bottles in the first place.
Planning ahead and bringing a reusable water bottle to drink from is a healthier, cost-effective way to stay hydrated and avoid single-use plastic water bottles, especially when engaging in sports or recreational activities in our amazing town. A strong network of refill stations is needed to fully instill a "refill culture" and see broader impact.
The water stream fills user’s bottles in seconds.