Did you know that cigarette butts are the most littered item on our planet? I used to argue with smoking co-workers about the butts that they tossed onto the sidewalk and roads. When I pointed out that they were littering, they informed me that they were not because cigarettes were biodegradable and caused no harm to the environment. To their credit, I think they believed that, and I never did any research to find out differently. Turns out, most cigarette filters are made from cellulose acetate, a form of plastic that will eventually degrade but only under certain conditions, like winding up in sewage. Toxins from cigarettes also leach out into the soil and waterways. You can learn more about cigarette litter facts here or here or just Google "cigarette butts."
The reason I'm posting on this topic is that one of PlanetRecovery's first projects is a "Butt Reduction Challenge." Reducing cigarette litter by providing ash receptacles and portable ash trays is helpful. But we also have to deal with all the butts that are already on the ground. So we at SpiritWorks/PlanetRecovery are going to pick up butts to clean up our community. Our challenge will go from now until Earth Day on April 22. We are hoping to pick up a million butts. Below are pictured over 1500 butts picked up in two locations in about two hours. The large bag came from the intersection of 199 and Richmond Road - a popular place to flick butts while waiting on the traffic light to change.
I'm looking forward to celebrating the arrival of spring by a offering little hospitality to Mother Nature. It's a small step, but those steps add up.
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