Butts are everywhere!
You find them at the beach, at the park, on sidewalks, in parking lots, sporting events, the list goes on. Cigarette butts.
It is impossible to go anywhere without finding cigarette butts people have tossed on the ground.
We are taught from a very young age that we shouldn’t litter. Society encourages us to throw our garbage in the trash. Many people in the Gainesville area are familiar with the catchy slogan, “Put it in the can, Gator fan.” Cities organize cleanup days to educate the public and get the community involved.
It seems the majority of society frowns upon someone throwing their burger wrapper or water bottle on the ground.
So why are cigarette butts an exception to the rule? What makes people turn the other cheek when it comes to the single most littered item in America and worldwide?
When I asked some smokers for their opinion on this matter, most of them had common responses. One of the most common responses regarded the inconvenience of not having more receptacles to throw their cigarette butts in. Others thought cigarettes were biodegradable, and it wasn’t “as bad as throwing other trash on the ground.”
Many of the smokers admitted to not thinking anything of it, saying, “It’s a habit.” Whatever the reasons are, this thoughtless act must stop.
The filters in cigarettes can take as long as 10 years to decompose. They contain toxic chemicals that can seep into the environments they are left in. These chemicals can make their way into the soil and waterways, potentially causing harmful effects. The little bit of tobacco that is left in the cigarette can cause adverse effects to the environment.
What can be done to reduce the littering of cigarette butts?
First and foremost, the public should be educated on the harmful effects cigarette butts have on the environment. Behavior and attitudes about littering need to be changed, and education about the subject is a successful way to go about it.
I also propose that the City of Gainesville provide more cigarette receptacles for smokers to use. Laws and ordinances enforcing litter fines need to be upheld, even for cigarette butts.
To those of you who smoke, take responsibility for your actions. Make a choice not to litter. If you’re in your car, utilize the ashtray instead of throwing the cigarette out the window. Carry a portable ashtray with you so you will always have a place to dispose of the cigarettes.
Smokers, please think about what you are doing to the environment next time you go to put your butt on the ground.
Ashley Beasley is a wildlife ecology and conservation senior at UF. You can contact her via opinions@alligator.org.
