Have you heard of Refill? Created by Bristol-based environmental campaigners City to Sea, the free Refill App is revolutionising how we drink water on the go, by giving access to thousands of free drinking water stations across the country.
As well as keeping single-use plastic out of our waste cycle, refilling a reusable water bottle is an easy way to save money, because bottled water costs a staggering 500-1000 times more than water from the tap! Every time you refill your reusable, one less plastic bottle is used, and you're also avoiding the release of carbon emissions from plastic production.
According to the Environmental Audit Committee, consumption of bottled water has doubled over the last 15 years, with over 7 billion plastic water bottles used each year in the UK. The Refill App makes it easier than ever to find free tap water refill points near you, so there's no need to purchase pricey and wasteful bottled water when you're on the go.
How does the Refill app work?
With over 20,000 cafes, restaurants, shops, hotels and bars signed up as Refill Stations, simply open the app to find your nearest free tap water location, and ask a member of staff to fill up your bottle for free. Some locations even offer sparkling water refills! You can also keep an eye out for Refill droplet stickers in shop windows to find Refill-friendly locations.
Refill points are available across the University campus, so remember to carry your reusable bottle to make the most of free tap water refills at our outlets.
What's happening in the local area?
Local community groups and volunteers have been working in collaboration with Bath and North East Somerset Council to raise awareness of Refill across the area. Vipul Patel is the local champion for Refill Bath, and is responsible for coordinating volunteer activity and encouraging local businesses to sign-up as Refill Stations.
Vipul says "Refill Bath was one of the pioneer Refill schemes - the third in the country - and it's now an international campaign with sites springing up as far off as Japan! We were ahead of the surge in terms of awareness of plastic and environmental problems, and this was driven by student volunteers seeing the problem and choosing to do something about it.
Students signed up stations in the city, worked on campus to raise awareness and change behaviours, and 'walked the talk' by changing their own habits too. Bath students are often more aware of sustainability issues than most city residents and, as part of our community, they’ve proved they can help us all live more sustainably."
How can I get involved?
To become a Refill volunteer, contact Vipul by email to find out more.
To make the most of free water wherever you are, simply grab a reusable bottle, download the free Refill app, and start saving money while keeping hydrated and reducing your plastic use.
Great initiative. Signing up right now!
We have just joined the refill app - we offer plastic-free refills of daily essentials such as shampoo, body wash, washing up and laundry liquid. We are based in central Bath but deliver to the door and collect any empties... OR you can refill your own bottles with us on BYO day. #refillnotlandfill