Ryerson pledges to be first bottled water free campus in Ontario

TORONTO, March 11 /CNW/ - During a mid-day event today Sheldon Levy, President of Ryerson University, signed a water declaration making Ryerson the first bottled water free campus in Ontario. The declaration signed on Canada's first Bottled Water Free Day calls for increased investment in water fountains while phasing-out bottled water provided and sold on campus by 2013.

"I strongly support the effort of our students and community to build a sustainable campus and particularly applaud the leadership shown by our students", said Levy.

The Ryerson Water Declaration was publicly signed on campus by Levy, Jermaine Bagnall, president of the Ryerson Students' Union and Mohammed Ali Aumeer, president of Continuing Education Students' Association of Ryerson. To celebrate Ryerson's pledge and the success of Canada's first National Bottled Water Free Day, the Green Action Group, RSU and the Polaris Institute are hosting "Comedy on Tap!" at the Ram In the Rye tonight at 8 p.m. Students from across the GTA will be in attendance.

"Our priority is to mobilize students and find collaborative solutions to the many environmental challenges we face today," said Andrew McAllister, founder, Green Action Group which spearheaded the Bottled Water Free Campaign at Ryerson. "The signing of this pledge is concrete proof that students can make a difference."

"This is a historic day for the Ryerson community," says Liana Salvador, Vice-President Education of the Ryerson Students' Union. "We hope that other campuses and organisations will follow our lead and make similar commitments". Over the last 12 months three Canadian campuses - The University of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Memorial University in Newfoundland & Labrador and Brandon University in Manitoba, have all signed similar water declarations. Ryerson is the first Ontario campus to join the movement.

Bottled Water Free Day is a joint project of the Canadian Federation of Students, the Sierra Youth Coalition and the Polaris Institute. To find out more please see: www.bottledwaterfreeday.ca

For further information: Andrew McAllister, Green Action Group, [phone], [email protected]; Joe Cressy, Polaris Institute, [phone], [email protected]