What do you mean by "Hold on to Your Butt"?
Our Hold on to Your Butt program is working to prevent cigarette butt litter in the Newport area! Right now, the main way we are doing this is by working with businesses to sponsor community ashcans, providing a place for proper disposal of cigarette butts.
Why are cigarette butts so bad?
- 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded each year
- Cigarette butts leak toxins when wet
- Cigarette butts represent 32% of litter in the US
- Cigarette butts are made of non-biodegradable plastics
Which businesses are participating?
We are excited to announce our first five community ashcans have been placed!
The Inn at Otter Crest was our first ashcan sponsor. The ashcan has been placed at the top of the stairs leading down to Otter Rock Beach to prevent cigarette butts from making it to the beach and ultimately the ocean!
Mo's Seafood and Chowder purchased three ashcans for their two locations in Newport and one in Otter Rock.
Local Ocean bought an ashcan to install on the corner of their building where they noticed cigarette butts accumulating. They typically notice about 12 cigarette butts on that site daily, but 24 hours after installing the ashcan there were none — we hope that trend continues!
Does your business want to sponsor a canister or do you want to volunteer with this program?
Interested in volunteering with this program? Send an email to hotyb@newport.surfrider.org