Every Butt Hurts

Fun Cigarette Litter Quiz!

Take this tongue-in-cheek quiz courtesy of www.CigaretteLitter.org  to discover if you have a cigarette litter awareness problem!

1. The long stretches of sandy areas adjacent to bodies of water are generally known as:

a. Beaches.
b. Giant coastal ashtrays.

2. Cigarette butts are biodegradable.

a. True - they are made of magic material that turns into dirt, sand, or brick depending on where you drop them.
b. False - they are made of plastic fibers that take many years to decompose.

3. The best place to dispose of a cigarette is:
a. A public ashtray, car ashtray, disposable ashtray, or a standard trash can after "field stripping."
b. Wherever you happen to be the exact moment you are finished with it.

4. Cigarette butts contain toxic chemicals that leak out into the environment:

a. True. The filter is specifically designed to trap these chemicals.
b. False. The filters are non-toxic and nutritious for the infants and animals that may swallow them.

5. Cigarette butts make the perfect gardening mulch:

a. True. The unnatural colors lend contrast to the cedar mulch in public gardens.
b. False. Cigarette butts turn public gardens into public ashtrays.

6. Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon or other natural wonder, your first reaction is:

a. What incredible beauty!
b. What a great place to flick my butt!

7. The spaces between sidewalk bricks and concrete slabs are designed to:

a. Allow the materials to expand and contract in hot and cold weather without cracking.
b. Catch littered cigarette butts and display them for pedestrian viewing.

8. Littered cigarette butts cause numerous fires every year:

a. True. Not all fires are caused by cigarette butts, but many are.
b. False. The idea that a burning cigarette flicked into dry timber could spark a fire is ludicrous!

9. How many cigarettes are estimated to be littered each year worldwide?

a. Several trillion. Assuming the 1.3 billion smokers litter an average of five butts a day.
b. Not many. I only litter about five a day myself.

10. The best thing to do with cigarette butts on nature trails is:

a. Hang on to them and throw them out later, just like other trash.
b. Flick them periodically on the trail to mark your way back and avoid getting lost.

For more information about cigarette litter visit www.CigaretteLitter.org.