Published May 18, 2026

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 grant funded the installation of a new water bottle filling station on the first floor of the Student Center. This grant, along with previous grants, has funded the installation of four water bottle filling stations in key campus locations, significantly advancing ULM’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. 

The newly installed filling station will replace one traditional water fountain 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 Sidney Jones, Coordinator of Keep ULM Beautiful. “The three bottle refill stations funded by last year’s KLB University Affiliate grant, which were installed this past year, 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 continuous and 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. It’s inspiring to see ULM students and staff taking responsibility and showing pride in our campus environment,” added Jones.   

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 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.