The St. Mary's University College Social Justice Committee is a group of faculty members and students dedicated to issues that affect humanity and the world. Our theme for the 2011-2012 academic year is WATER -- issues such as the commodification of water, the right to potable water, and the ethics of bottled water, to name a few.

Join us by committing to making your semester bottled water free, liking us on Facebook to find out cool water facts, or contacting Nancy Quan in Campus Ministry or students Megan Appleford and Brooke Ramsay about joining our committee!

"water walk" helped build awareness of social justice theme

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(September 16, 2011) – St. Mary's University College students, staff, faculty and friends helped build awareness of this year's social justice theme by walking to nearby Fish Creek Provincial Park, led by naturalist Gus Yaki.

Dubbed the "water walk," the event was the first planned by the Social Justice Committee to promote awareness of the importance of water to the earth and to each of us as individuals.

With its headwaters west of Calgary near Priddis, Fish Creek is a mere trickle compared to the torrent that carved the valley now home to Fish Creek Provincial Park. Mr. Yaki said the creek is an example of the glacier-fed water sources that make Calgary's municipal water among the safest in the world.

Mr. Yaki pointed out that producing one plastic water bottle requires one-third of its volume in petroleum products. Often, water sold in bottles comes from treated municipal sources or from natural springs located across the world, he said. St. Mary's University College will become "plastic water bottle free" later this fall.

Water sustains us all in a delicate balance. Join the Social Justice Committee at future events to learn more about the ethical, political and ecological aspects of this essential life source.