Published January 13, 2025
MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe is proud to announce that Keep ULM Beautiful (KULMB)
has been awarded a prestigious Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) University Affiliate
Grant. This $5,000 grant will fund the installation of three new water bottle filling
stations in key campus locations, significantly advancing ULM’s ongoing commitment
to sustainability and waste reduction.
The newly installed filling stations will replace one traditional water fountain in
the University Suites residence hall and two traditional water fountains in the Student
Center, providing a convenient, eco-friendly option for students, faculty, and staff
to refill reusable water bottles. This project aims to reduce the use of single-use
plastic bottles on campus, support a culture of sustainability, and encourage students
to adopt environmentally responsible habits.
“This grant allows us to build on our previous efforts to promote sustainability on
campus,” said Andrew Hardee, Co-Coordinator of Keep ULM Beautiful. “The three bottle
refill stations funded by last year’s KLB University Affiliate grant, which were installed
this past April, have already diverted over 16,281 single-use plastic bottles from
the waste stream. We are excited to expand this impact with the addition of new stations.”
The project is a collaborative effort between Keep ULM Beautiful, the ULM Office of
Residential Life, and the ULM Office of Student Development. These departments will
collaborate to install, maintain, and promote the refill stations. In addition, they
will lead educational programs to increase awareness of water conservation, reduce
single-use plastic waste, and promote reusable water bottles.
To encourage student participation, KULMB plans to distribute stainless steel water
bottles to students who attend educational programs related to litter prevention,
recycling, waste reduction, and sustainability. These initiatives will support KLB’s
overarching goal of fostering environmental stewardship and reducing waste on Louisiana’s
college campuses.
“With the support of our campus and community partners, we’re taking practical steps
to be better stewards of our resources,” said Sidney Jones, Co-Coordinator of Keep
ULM Beautiful. “It’s inspiring to see ULM students and staff taking responsibility
and showing pride in our campus environment.”
The water bottle filling stations will feature signage that recognizes the support
of Keep Louisiana Beautiful and Keep ULM Beautiful. By promoting the use of refillable
water bottles, the stations will reduce waste and empower students to make sustainable
choices in their daily routines.
This project is part of Keep ULM Beautiful’s broader mission to engage the campus
community in litter prevention, recycling, and sustainability initiatives. Through
partnerships, education, and service projects, Keep ULM Beautiful continues to make
strides toward a cleaner, greener campus.
For more information about the water bottle filling station project, please contact
Andrew Hardee at hardee@ulm.edu or Sidney Jones at sijones@ulm.edu.
About Keep ULM Beautiful
Keep ULM Beautiful, formed in October 2022, is a Keep Louisiana Beautiful University
Affiliate, which is a special mark of distinction and represents a commitment by the
university to continual improvement in sustainability and environmental issues, promoting
student environmental stewardship and engagement, and rigorous outcome measurement.
Keep ULM Beautiful will pursue opportunities to improve the campus to meet the needs
of the changing living and educational environment of students, faculty, and staff
by encouraging litter abatement, recycling, and sustainability practices.
About Keep Louisiana Beautiful
Keep Louisiana Beautiful's mission is to promote personal, corporate, and Community
responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana. Through our programs and a statewide
network of Affiliates and partners, we provide tools and resources to prevent litter,
reduce waste, increase recycling, and beautify spaces. Keep Louisiana Beautiful is
a non-profit organization dedicated to achieving a cleaner, Greener Louisiana through
litter reduction and beautification initiatives. To get involved, please visit keeplouisianabeautiful.org.
