Apia, Samoa – The University of the South Pacific (USP) Samoa Campus, Pure Pacific Water (PPW), and the British High Commission held a handover ceremony on Tuesday to officially launch a collaboration aimed at providing free, cold, and filtered drinking water to students and faculty. This initiative is part of the broader effort to reduce single-use plastics on campus and in the local community.
PPW has installed 12 water stations across the campus, and the British High Commission has distributed 350 reusable water bottles to students and faculty. The “Changing Mindsets: Removal of Single-Use Plastics” project encourages students to rethink their use of single-use plastics and to raise awareness of the environmental benefits of adopting greener alternatives.
British High Commissioner Gareth Hoar expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “The British High Commission is delighted to fund the provision of water stations and reusable bottles at USP. There are clear environmental benefits to be gained from reducing the circulation of single-use plastic bottles, and it’s fantastic to see students’ enthusiasm and support for the project. I encourage everyone at USP to continue to demonstrate their care for the environment by taking full advantage of the water stations and using more climate-friendly containers.”
Pure Pacific Water’s Director, Mr. Lucky Seumanu, also shared his gratitude: “I am very grateful to the British High Commission for their support for this project and USP for embracing the opportunity to have a positive environmental impact by providing drinking water for their students.”
Professor Pal Ahluwalia, Vice Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific, acknowledged the importance of this project for the students and faculty of the USP Samoa Campus, emphasizing its role in promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility.
