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Squirrels use cigarette butts to build their nests. And filters and other tobacco litter have been found in the stomachs of birds and fish. This cigarette trash endangers the lives of animals.

Cigarette Butts Aren’t Pretty.

We all have seen how a pile on the ground can ruin an otherwise idyllic scene on campus. Aside from the aesthetics, cigarette butts and tobacco litter pose a problem to the larger world around us.

The Path of a Cigarette Butt

Once a cigarette butt falls to the ground, where does it go? Does it simply disappear over time? Hardly. Let’s follow the path of a cigarette butt from your campus to its eventual destination.

1. Cigarette butt is carried by rainwater to the storm sewer.
2. It travels down the storm sewer to a stream.
3. The stream carries it to a river. Fish may ingest it.
4. The river carries it to the ocean, hundreds of miles away.
5. Other fish, birds, or sea life may eat it, potentially creating hazards for those animals.
6. Or, it washes up on the shore, creating a polluted shoreline for families and beachgoers to enjoy.

If we’re really going to be “green,” let’s get serious.

Did You Know?

Cigarette butts are consistently the most common piece of litter picked up on coastlines around the world.

Get Involved

Want to build the case for a tobacco-free campus? Work with your campus tobacco task force to find out how much time and money is spent on campus just picking up tobacco-related litter. The answer might shock you.

Click here to sign up for more information on how to create change. We will let you know when events are happening on campus and how you can get involved.