Seltzer water, ostensibly fruit flavored but with no sugar, sweetener, or color is increasingly popular. The only thing it has over water is a slight fizz, a little sour/bitter taste, and probably better profit margins.
What do you think is the point of forcing people to purchase that rather than plain water?
They're not banning plastic bottles they're banning the sale of single-use plastic bottles.
I think this is going to drive the sale of soda and sugar water more than it will drive the use of the water stations but the intent is at least there.
I really wish they would take the next step and have people fill up their reusable bottles with soda from the fountains but there are a bunch of drinks that only exist canned or bottled so I understand the exception.
> Filtered water is provided for free at 100 "hydration stations," where flyers can top up glass or metal bottles.
I'm glad to see this. My local (large, international) airport still hasn't upgraded its water fountains yet, forcing me to awkwardly refill my big water bottle from a tiny spout emitting a variable trickle.
There are not enough easily accessible refill faucets at SFO. They could sell cheapo reusable flasks and donate the money to charity.
The flavored water exemption is flat out wrong imo
I don't like the exception but there's not a good answer to this. There are some drinks that people want that only exist in canned/bottled form. You could get soda from fountains but energy drinks, lots of coffee drinks, premade teas, sports drinks, unpopular sodas, etc. wouldn't be worth the whole fountain and so would just be gone.
The goal of this change should be to make an easy positive step not make people worse off because they now can't get their favorite drink when they're already probably stressed at the airport. So I totally understand the exception. I think the next step would be requiring that 'popular' sodas be fountain only.
I don't see how that list refutes or confirms the claim that nominally flavored water in plastic bottles is still allowed.
The second link says "Drinking water includes purified water, mineral water, carbonated or sparkling water, and electrolyte-enhanced water." which isn't extremely specific, but doesn't sound like it includes soda, so it might not include flavored water.
I travel a lot, and one thing I always carry with me is a disposable plastic bottle. Good sturdy ones (SmartWater is the best one) that have a good cap (i.e. sturdy threads, not a sport cap) can be reused many times, and are lightweight. I have reused the same bottle for over a year sometimes.
You have the option to throw it out if you really need to, like if there’s a clueless security agent, you forget to drain it before security, or in airports where they don’t understand the security difference between an empty and a full bottle. In those situations, being able to replace it as soon as I go through security is a big help, otherwise you’re at the mercy of the flight attendants to decide to serve drinks.
Given the options of “reduce”, “reuse”, and “recycle”, they would be better off promoting “reuse” instead of “reduce” in this situation.
I don’t want to be forced to have to buy a Yeti when I’m traveling.
No bottles is a minor inconvenience, at worst. I have taken to loading up my carryon bag with thousands of free syringes that I charge with Gatorade, so I can directly inject electrolytes whenever I feel feint. Disposal of used syringes is a no-brainer: I just carelessly fling them in any random direction. As a hydration addict, I’m a marginalized person, so my needs come first.
There will undoubtably be many thousands of travelers who show up unaware or unprepared for this. Do these people now have to purchase a reusable bottle if they’d like to carry around a water with them? I sure hope this doesn’t end up backfiring and creating more waste.
Reusable bottles can consist of an order of magnitude or more plastic than a disposable water bottle, and if people aren’t reusing that bottle after they leave the airport, this might not actually lead to a reduction in waste.
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[ 4.0 ms ] story [ 46.1 ms ] threadDoes “flavored with electrolytes” count?
What do you think is the point of forcing people to purchase that rather than plain water?
People are traveling. Glass is not really a option.
But good job SF. Flavored water. The most useless water is still sold.
Any other place in SF and this sort of ban would be fine. But not a Airport.
I think this is going to drive the sale of soda and sugar water more than it will drive the use of the water stations but the intent is at least there.
I really wish they would take the next step and have people fill up their reusable bottles with soda from the fountains but there are a bunch of drinks that only exist canned or bottled so I understand the exception.
I'm glad to see this. My local (large, international) airport still hasn't upgraded its water fountains yet, forcing me to awkwardly refill my big water bottle from a tiny spout emitting a variable trickle.
The goal of this change should be to make an easy positive step not make people worse off because they now can't get their favorite drink when they're already probably stressed at the airport. So I totally understand the exception. I think the next step would be requiring that 'popular' sodas be fountain only.
https://sfoconnect.com/sites/default/files/SFO%20Approved%20...
As you see, it is not about flavored water or brands, it's just about plastic-free container. https://sfoconnect.com/zero-waste-concessions
The second link says "Drinking water includes purified water, mineral water, carbonated or sparkling water, and electrolyte-enhanced water." which isn't extremely specific, but doesn't sound like it includes soda, so it might not include flavored water.
You have the option to throw it out if you really need to, like if there’s a clueless security agent, you forget to drain it before security, or in airports where they don’t understand the security difference between an empty and a full bottle. In those situations, being able to replace it as soon as I go through security is a big help, otherwise you’re at the mercy of the flight attendants to decide to serve drinks.
Given the options of “reduce”, “reuse”, and “recycle”, they would be better off promoting “reuse” instead of “reduce” in this situation.
I don’t want to be forced to have to buy a Yeti when I’m traveling.
Reusable bottles can consist of an order of magnitude or more plastic than a disposable water bottle, and if people aren’t reusing that bottle after they leave the airport, this might not actually lead to a reduction in waste.