The Charter School North Dulwich is raising funds to install new water fountains as part of a drive to entirely cut out single-use plastic within two years.
The co-ed state school says its handful of water stations are currently in a poor condition and, as a result, 600 plastic water bottles are bought by its students every single day – more than 100,000 a year – by pupils put off by the metallic taste caused by rusty pipework.
The school has committed to ditching single-use plastic by 2021; with mostly compostable food packaging now used in its school dinners.
Replacing the water fountains will cost £27,000, so the school has set up a crowdfunder to help fund the project.
Fountains will save pupils up to £190 a year currently wasted on bottled water; amounting to well over a thousand pounds during their seven years at the secondary school by those buying a bottle a day.
Head teacher Christian Hicks said: “As a school we are constantly looking at ways to reduce our environmental impact and this is something which is important to both staff and students.
“We are also keen to do everything that we can to help our pupils stay hydrated, as this has been proven to improve concentration and mental performance, as well as being essential for students’ overall health.”
For more information or to donate, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/plasticfreeCharter