How to recycle Cigarrette Buds?

The first thing that comes to my mind when I see a title like this is that the writer is a smoker who is trying to find a solution to a problem that should not be happening on the first place. Part of it is correct. I am not a smoker and I certainly detest the slight scent of smoke around me. However, I am a proud environmentalist who thought that I have considered all aspects of our lives and ways of making them greener. I was wrong.

So this guy comes to our environmental group and asks me: “What do you do about cigarette buds?” I told him right away: “I don’t smoke”. He says: “But some people do and they don’t care about the buds left on their way. Shouldn’t you feel responsible for it? I can’t stand the fact that this is going to be carried away by the wind or the next storm. It will contaminate both soil and water.”

I felt so ashamed that I most likely blushed. Here is a guy I have never met before who brought me a concern he had. A concern that I had completely ignored even though I walk on the streets and see cigarette buds everywhere. So what can we do about it? Give some advice to your smoker friends, definitely. But we can do more than that. We can find ways of minimizing the problem. There are so many gatherings of people collecting trash alongside of rivers and streams. Why not beginning a cigarette bud collection group? So the idea got stuck in my head and I decided to do some research on it. Terracycle’s initiative is very simple: they ask you (if you are over 21) to send your cigarette buds and they will recycle as much as they can. It doesn’t really have to be yours, right? You are doing something good for the planet, after all.

Not only you are being sustainably conscious but for every pound of cigarette bud collected, $1.00 is donated to Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.

So you can help the environment out with things that do not entirely concern you. Because truth is, they do. We get used to ignoring so many things around us. If it is hard to believe, take a look at these statistics from 2015 of waste that is most commonly found in the oceans.

We need people like this stranger with brilliant ideas and get together to prevent unnecessary waste. Ultimately, help your friend who smokes to minimize the smoking or even better quit smoking altogether. The environment would be very thankful!

Here is a video to inspire you to make the change:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/05/150504-cigarette-butt-litter-recycling-environment/

Do your part! Share this idea!