In an effort to create a greener school community and address worldwide environmental issues, Harriton Nutrition team leaders Karen Castaneda and Mahmoud Hussein explored solutions and discovered a product called PathWater in the summer of 2019. In February 2020, the duo was able to implement this reusable water bottle at Harriton.

Since introducing PathWater to the cafeteria, Harriton has sold over 50 cases. “For only two dollars, you get a bottle of purified water with electrolytes[…] You can take it home, wash it, refill it,” says Castandeda.

The LMSD nutrition team has been inspired by the discussion to implement eco-friendly changes in a creative way to support the world. Thus, the team is holding a contest where Harriton students can submit their artwork, the winner creating the external design for these new bottles.

PathWater is a new concept that combines the popularity of reusable water bottles with recycling. Developers of PathWater have created a “Sustainable & Durable Aluminum Water Bottle” that will support the efforts to save our environment. The power of PathWater and what sets it apart from the trend of plastic water bottles, like Evian, Poland Springs, Fiji, is that “it keeps water colder for longer, is sustainable, affordable, and makes it easy for everyone to make the shift from single-use plastic, once and for all.”

The other important strength of this product is its affordability. Price per bottle in the school cafeteria is two dollars, as opposed to spending a dollar a day on plastic. The work of Castaneda and Hussein sets Harriton on a new trajectory for being an environmentally friendly school. Harriton is bringing this West Coast trend to the East Coast and hoping to create a movement that many will join.

As the world addresses an increasing number of environmental problems, each person, school, and organization can have an enormous impact on our future. According to the Container Recycling Institute, more than 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills and incinerators every day, a total of about 22 billion last year. PathWater is one step towards a more promising environmentally sustainable path for Harriton High School and our community.