Littered Cigarette Butts Kill the Fishies

I wouldn't dream of throwing trash on the ground, but for many years I did not consider cigarette butts trash. WRONG!!!

I am a smoker and after 40+ years am likely to remain one. But I don't want to kill the fishies or the rabbits, chipmunks or skunks either for that matter (squirrels I have to think about). Litter from cigarette butts is highly toxic and usually ends up in the water system through run off. (Click on the title for source material.)

Increasingly strict limitations on smoking have made it far more difficult to find a public ashtray. I notice this during my morning walk. Across the street from our local hospital, where it is illegal to smoke on the grounds, is an unofficial smokers' station. It borders private property and the sidewalk and surrounding grass and shrubbery are THICK with discarded cigarette butts. I wholeheartedly sympathize with my fellow smokers needing to feed their nicotine cravings. But between them, both they and the hospital have created a public nuisance and a mini toxic waste dump. The hospital would have done better to place containers for discarded cigarettes in a designated area on the perimeter of its grounds. The smokers need to be made aware that they are ultimately responsible for responsibly disposing of their used butts.

Sooo, if you are a smoker, PLEASE extinguish the butt and either dispose of it in a public trash container or keep it on your person until you can safely dump it in your own trash. You will be doing your part to preserve our environment and save a fish, or a small mammal.

A second source on the subject:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/GreenTeam/default.cfm#CigaretteButts

Let's prove ourselves more responsible than the oil and petrochemical companies.