Everything You Need to Know About Fill It Forward

Written By Rachel Smith

If you are a student or faculty member at Missouri State University, it is safe to assume that you have seen the small, round, bar-coded stickers decorating many people’s reusable water bottles. But you might not be aware exactly what these stickers are, or how such a small adhesive water bottle accessory can have such a huge impact. In short, Fill It Forward is an initiative that has been introduced to Missouri State’s campus to encourage students and faculty to reduce waste from plastic water bottles.
So how does it work? All you have to do is get a sticker from a Green Student Alliance member. It is likely that a member will present in one of your classes, or you can get them at tabling events. You put the sticker on your reusable water bottle and scan it into the app. If you have more than one water bottle, just use more than one sticker and register your various bottles. The app will be able to tell the difference, so it tracks the right amount of water. Once your bottle is registered, just scan the barcode every time you refill your bottle. The app gives you one point for every refill, which adds up quickly. Before you know it, you will have enough points racked up for some free goodies from the Plaster Student Union. These freebies range from a Starbucks drink to a full entrée at one of the vendors. Not only do you get free food for drinking water, Fill It Forward donates clean water to communities who need it the most. The app also tracks your “footprint” and how much plastic, power, land, carbon emission, and waste you are reducing just by drinking water!
As you can see, Fill It Forward is an easy way to start your journey into waste-free living. You help the planet, you help your community, and you help yourself. Go get a Fill It Forward Sticker today and start making an impact by reducing your impact!