The University of Colorado Boulder has finalized a first-of-its-kind agreement with PepsiCo Beverages that will eliminate all single-use plastics from campus beverage services, an agreement that “aligns with the university’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) and supports advocacy from students, staff, faculty and administration,” according to the university.
The 10-year pouring rights agreement was announced by the university on July 17, but PepsiCo Beverages initiated the campus-wide transition on July 7. The transition will require re-stocking or replacing beverage vending machines on campus, and cafes and other retail spaces will make the changeover as existing products are sold or replaced, CU Boulder said.
“This contract is a bold step forward in our commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “By eliminating single-use plastics from our beverage services, we’re not only responding to the values of our campus community - we’re building on our legacy as one of the most sustainable campuses in the country.”
Third-party vendors on campus will also need to comply with the contract. According to CU Boulder, the contract includes no out-of-pocket costs for the university.
“This is more than a contract,” Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock said. “It’s a systems-level change that supports our climate goals and demonstrates how operational decisions can drive meaningful environmental outcomes.”
CU Boulder’s Climate Action Plan has a goal of reaching zero emissions by no later than 2050.
According to Oceana, PepsiCo announced in May that it was “abandoning its reuse goal to achieve 20 percent of all beverage servings the company sells be sold through reusable models by 2030.” Oceana also said that the company ended its goal to “cut virgin plastic from non-renewable sources per serving.”
“By killing its reuse goal, and other goals that would actually reduce plastic packaging, Pepsi is hurting our oceans and the environment,” said Oceans’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Matt Littlejohn. “Pepsi is one of the largest polluters in the world according to the Break Free from Plastic Brand Audit and has a responsibility to address its plastic problem.”
