One way to say ‘I love you’ on Valentine’s Day: Give a reusable water bottle

Are disposable plastic water bottles — like single-use plastic shopping bags and Styrofoam containers — about to get the heave-ho in the city of San Luis Obispo?

Nothing that drastic is on the horizon, although a contingent of environmentally minded SLO residents is petitioning the city to explore ways to discourage use of ubiquitous plastic water bottles that are generally tossed after a single use.

Good for them. We’re literally awash in a sea of water bottles. Less than 40 percent of all plastic water bottles are recycled — some estimates put the figure closer to 20 percent — and the rest wind up in landfills or, worse, as litter.

There are other drawbacks as well, including the amount of energy it takes to produce and transport bottled water and the higher cost to consumers to drink bottled water versus tap.

That said, plastic water bottles have their advantages. They’re convenient, sanitary and in some circumstances (Flint, Mich., comes to mind), they’re absolutely necessary. For those reasons, we would not support a complete ban on sales, but we do strongly endorse efforts to encourage consumers to limit use of plastic water bottles.

One idea SLO petitioners suggested to the City Council: Install more “hydration stations” — a fancy name for water fountains designed for refilling water bottles. The group also suggested the City Council consider adopting an ordinance similar to one passed in San Francisco, which bans the sale of plastic water bottles on city property.

The San Luis Obispo City Council agreed to hold a study session to learn what additional steps it might take to reduce plastic bottle waste, although a date for the session has not been set.

Anything to draw attention to the issue is a good idea, though we’re not so sure an ordinance like San Francisco’s is needed. Banning the sale of plastic bottles at events held on city property would be a largely symbolic step. People would still be free to buy bottled water off-site and bring it with them. So what, exactly, is the point?

We believe it would be far more effective to speed up installation of hydration stations not only in the city of San Luis Obispo, but also throughout the county.

Another powerful step: Lead by example. Show off your spiffy, reusable water containers. They’d look great on a City Council dais, on a speaker’s podium or in a board room.

And here’s an idea for all of us: Valentine’s Day is coming up. A sleek, reusable water bottle — especially in red or hot pink — would be a nice complement to a bouquet or a box of chocolates, and it would last a lot longer.

This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 2:57 PM with the headline "One way to say ‘I love you’ on Valentine’s Day: Give a reusable water bottle."