APAC Issue 5 2018 - Unitywater

8 APAC / Issue 5 2018 , understanding the impact plastic has on the region’s marine life. In 2016, Unitywater established the regional Back to Tap Reference Group, which has been instrumental in the installation of fixed water refill stations in public and community areas, as George highlights. “We are very proud of our partnership with our local Sunshine Coast icon, Australia Zoo, being one of the first organisations to install permanent water refill stations around their grounds.” To date, Unitywater has provided more than 81,000 reusable water bottles at hundreds of community events. The fleet of Back to Tap vans, which supply chilled free water on tap at these events, has ticked over 64 thousand litres of water, effectively saving more than 106,000 single-use water bottles, as George highlights in his concluding comments. “At one end of the scale we are supporting large, sustainable plastic-free events such as the Noosa Festival of Surfing and Ocean Crusaders’ Paddle against Plastic. At the other end of the scale, we are working with schools to develop and deliver an education program for our children. Also, we are developing highly creative, quirky social media campaigns and consumer competitions to ensure our messages reach and influence our wider community.” Ultimately, it is clear that Unitywater remains the trailblazer in this space and is committed to leading the charge to protect the environment from plastic bottles in South-East Queensland. One of Unitywater’s other community activities is supporting the homeless through the sponsorship of BackPack Beds