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The Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council (BYSC), an environmental advocacy group comprised of 30 public and private high school students in Fayette County, with funding from Kentucky American Water and the FCPS Child Nutrition Department, has installed bottle refilling stations in all area high schools. Bottle refilling stations installed on two water fountains per high school encourage students to bring reusable containers and thereby cut down on plastic in landfills. In the first week, more than 3,600 containers were filled in the five public high schools, and usage has increased since early February.
The BYSC is an environmental advocacy group made up of 30 students from public and private high schools in Lexington. Among their various initiatives are leading energy audits in the main office building of Fayette County Public Schools, working with elementaries to promote rain gardens and hosting an Earth Day celebration.
“By just bringing a reusable water bottle, every single student can impact sustainability,” said Marie Armbruster, a junior at Lafayette High School. “This is just a start, but it empowers students to make the small changes that collectively will result in a major impact on our local solid waste.”
Armbruster researched the possibilities of bottle refilling stations and led the council subcommittee that secured a $6,400 donation from Kentucky American Water Company.
“This partnership also has the potential to bring about important health benefits since the stations make it more convenient for young people to choose tap water over sugary juices and sodas for hydration,” said Cheryl Norton, company president.
Recognizing the potential, the Child Nutrition Department in FCPS contributed $1,000 for the project. And to further discourage disposable water bottles, the green teams at Lafayette and Tates Creek high schools have sold refillable bottles.
Superintendent Tom Shelton praised the BYSC and its leadership on environmental issues, particularly the refilling stations. “This is an example where they’ve taught us and shown us a way to make a real impact in our schools,” he said during a news conference at Lafayette.