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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Standing guard ... City gears up for hearings on future growth ... Medford School District on the hunt for teachers ... Standing guard ... City gears up for hearings on future growth ... Medford School District on the hunt for teachers ... OUR VIEW Our View: A gesture, but one worth making Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 4, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Feb. 4, 2015 at 12:01 AM What do you think? --> Have an opinion on this editorial? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter. &#... » Read more X What do you think? Have an opinion on this editorial? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter .   » Social News Medford's proposed ban on polystyrene containers would bring it belatedly into line with other cities in the state, including Ashland and Eugene. A St. Mary's School student deserves credit for the hard work of getting the city to address the issue. The ban would be more of a symbolic gesture than a major blow for the environment, but it's a gesture worth making.  For starters, the ordinance as proposed, which the City Council will take up Thursday, includes plenty of exemptions to make sure it's not a burden on businesses. A business with less than $300,000 in annual revenue would not be required to comply. Neither would any business unable to find a less expensive alternative to polystyrene foam. While limiting artificial products made from petroleum byproducts would seem an environmentally friendly move, the impact is reduced by the fact that other man-made containers would likely take their place. A 2013 story in the Boston Globe explained that, as with many aspects of modern life, there are tradeoffs. The story cited a 2006 study in the Netherlands that compared the environmental impact of polystyrene cups with that of paper cups. In five of the 10 categories, paper cups were more eco-friendly. Polystyrene cups were greener in the other five. Making 10,000 foam cups takes 4,748 gallons of water and 5.4 million BTUs of energy, about the same as burning 450 pounds of coal. Making the same number of paper cups uses 8,095 gallons of water and the equivalent of 542 pounds of coal. Producing and shipping one foam cup uses 3.2 grams of petroleum. One paper cup uses 4.1 grams. The big advantage in eliminating what is commonly referred to as Styrofoam — the name of the best-known manufacturer of polystyrene — would be in reducing visual litter. That's what drove Sam Becker, St. Mary's student body president, to launch the campaign after he witnessed too many of the containers tossed in too many places in his community.  Foam containers take much longer to break down, whether in landfills or alongside bike paths, and particles from discarded ones can harm wildlife. Foam containers can emit toxic chemicals; paper containers don't. Becker started his campaign against foam containers in July, collecting 3,218 signatures on a petition to put a ban on the ballot. The City Council, seeking to avoid paying $25,000 to $40,000 to hold an election, may simply enact the ban instead. There's no reason not to; the ordinance wouldn't place an undue burden on anyone, and paper containers do benefit the wood products industry. A local ordinance would cut down on a particularly obnoxious form of litter, and the city would make a statement that it stands for reducing non-biodegradable waste. It might not change the world, but it would help nudge it in a better direction.       MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 4, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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