Apr 11 - 'Get Your Butts Out of Here' Campaign
Ubiquitous cigarette litter is everywhere: street gutters, storm drains, plant potters and on the ground virtually everywhere you look. Cigarette litter is the #1 most commonly littered item, and causes serious waterway and environmental problems. Many local jurisdictions are making it tougher for smokers to smoke, in and even near public buildings. South Bend, Indiana recently passed a county-wide ordinance prohibiting all smoking indoors. But some fear that by pushing smokers outside, cigarette butt litter on the ground is going to increase exponentially. The South Bend Tribune has a good idea: start a Get Your Butts Out of Here Campaign.
Groups that pushed the county's new anti-smoking law are encouraging families to go out to eat today, the day the law takes effect.
It's a way of showing appreciation to the smoke-free environment in the restaurants. It's also a way to demonstrate that restaurants won't lose business as a result of the law.
It's a nice idea, but I have a better one.
I would like to propose an ongoing effort called Get Your Butts Out of Here.
Californians Against Waste pushed for AB 1612 (Pavley) and SB 942 (Chesbro) last year, which would have created a funding infrastructure to clean up cigarette litter. While both of the bills failed to reach the governor’s desk, CAW continues to keep it’s eye on ways to remedy the butt problem in California.