Did you know that cigarette packages have no warning signs about the potential damages that cigarettes and cigarette butts can have on our environment? However, there are advocates at the GreenLife Saver Recycling Foundation in Detroit, who are spreading the word and kicking cigarette butts in the butt.  The Founder of GreenLife Saver Recycling Foundation is out cleaning up the riverbanks, removing cigarettes butts and packaging them and sending those filthy butts to the Terracycle recycling foundation. The do-good, good Samaritan Brianna Moore is out kicking cigarette butts in the butt.

Youth blogger and Founder of GreenLife Saver Foundation, Brianna Moore, delivers plastic bags and bottles to the recycling center. (Photo credits: B. Moore)

Not only she cleaning up, she is educating about the harm cigarette butts have on the environment by placing those flyers everywhere and people are reading them.  Thanks to those who are uninformed, trillions of cigarette butts end up in our rivers, water supply, dumpsters or our landfills.  These casually tossed cigarette butts are then carried by the rain and wind into our water supply, releasing the toxic chemicals that damage our quality of water and aquatic life forms.  Nevertheless, these dirty little nasty cigarette butts can be recycled by Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company.  They are recycled into variety of industrial products such as plastic pellets and all remaining parts of the cigarette butts are recycled into some type of tobacco composting.

So, will you become a part of our team? We need your help!

Become a part of the  solution, and not a part of the problem.  Spread the word about the dangers of tossing cigarette butts.  You can start by informing your family, friends and community about cigarettes and the causal tossing of cigarette butts.  Let them know that if they must smoke, to discard the butts properly and to please remember: DO NOT LITTER!   Also, offer to collect their cigarette butts or direct them to the Terracycle recycling foundation that accepts cigarette butts free of charge at the following website:

http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades.html                                           

Cigarette waste packed and ready to be shipped to Terracycle. (Photo credit: B. Moore)

    By Brianna L. Moore, Volunteer Youth Blogger 

Amy Steinmetz, 2004 Eco-Hero

2004 Young Eco-Hero Amy Steinmetz is asking for your support in her effort to eliminate cigarette butt litter. Amy and her brothers and sisters have organized a “No Butts About It” campaign to educate people not to throw their cigarette butts on the ground.

She is now working closely with Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut on Senate Bill 2758, which is aimed at raising awareness and ultimately eliminating cigarette butt litter. The pollution caused by this habit is just one of many problems this practice causes:

• Littered butts poses a health threat which in some instances has resulted in death to small children and animals who mistakenly ingest them.
• Littered cigarettes are often the cause of destructive forest and house fires.
• Dropped butts get into the water supply and cause a deterioration to water quality, as well as harm to marine life.

Most smokers simply drop their butts out of habit and without conscious thought. When made aware, however, smokers are more than happy to dispose of their cigarettes properly.

Senate Bill 2758 would require cigarette manufacturers to print a notice on each package of cigarettes for smokers to dispose of cigarette waste properly.

Our congratulations to Amy for her great work. You can learn more about Amy’s campaign on the “No Butts About It” website.