As islanders, we know how fragile the environment is, and that being environmentally responsible often requires tough decisions. But banning Styrofoam isn’t one of them – it’s a no-brainer.

The San Juan Anti-Litter Initiative recently presented an ordinance to the Friday Harbor Town Council and to the San Juan County Council that calls for the banning of polystyrene (Styrofoam) food containers in the county. More than 1,200 islanders and visitors have signed a petition supporting the ban.

But in a disappointing 3-2 decision last week, the council fell one vote shy of sending the ban onward. Councilmen Knapp and Peterson voted against the ordinance; Councilman Myhr was not present at the meeting. The council agreed to reconsider the ordinance on July 14, when Myhr is back. We hope the council comes to a better decision then.

As a county, we pride ourselves on being “green,” and council members agree it’s a good concept, but Knapp and Peterson felt it might prove costly to some business owners and would take time and money to enforce it.

If adopted, we would be one of many communities across the country to implement such an ordinance, including Seattle and Portland. There is no reason why the public — and the council — shouldn’t support this wholeheartedly.

Styrofoam is made from polystyrene, a petroleum-based product that can be toxic and can leach into the environment. Styrofoam is not biodegradable and can break up into pieces that can choke or clog an animal’s digestive system should it be ingested.

As we face a new era of environmental awareness and green practices, there are significant steps that can be made toward the road to less pollution. And this ban is one of them.

The Anti-Litter Initiative says that several local restaurant owners have discovered that Styrofoam containers are now more expensive than containers made from safer materials. But what if biodegradable containers aren’t cheaper – would patrons have to bear the cost? Yeah, probably. But a few extra cents on a meal tab seems a small price to pay to cut back on environmental pollution.

We hope Styrofoam goes the way of DDT. But our more immediate hope is for the county to get on board with this ban.