Thursday, April 22, 2010

It's "Earth Day" Don't throw away your "butts"

Another Earth Day is almost over. What it means to me is more awareness besides action. I noticed today two separate incidents of people throwing their cigarettes out their car windows. Ouch!

First, let me tell you, I'm not being self-righteous. I smoked for years; tried to quit also for years. How I finally kicked the habit (I had become a closet smoker); no, it was not will power or ability. It was bacteria pneumonia and a two day stay in the hospital coughing up blood by the cupful that pervaded me. As I told my daugther "It had never been explained so well before".

 I never smoked again.

But when I did smoke, I never litered. (There's a little good in all of us.)

So, on to my next point. If you must smoke (I understand) don't litter with your butts. It's bad, bad, bad for the environment.


Fact:

"[Cigarette butts] also present a threat to wildlife. Cigarette filters have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales and other marine creatures who mistake them for food ... Composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic, cigarette butts can persist in the environment as long as other forms of plastic."

--Clean Virginia Waterways

Do us all a favor. Don't throw it out the window.

Thank you.