Forest & Bird Topic: Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas

kukupa on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

kukupa — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:50:38 +0000

People may like to tune into tv3 tusday 7.30pm 22/9/09 Butt Butt Just STOP IT!!

kukupa on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

kukupa — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:31:42 +0000

People may like to tune into tv3 tusday 8.00pm 22/9/09 Butt Butt Just STOP IT!!

Helen on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

Helen — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:06:00 +0000

I have always thought it weird how many smokers don't consider their butts to be "rubbish" - ie they think it is OK to just throw them on the ground.

Kirstie on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

Kirstie — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:39:35 +0000

Congratulations to Wellington City Council for taking a stand to raise public awareness about cigarette butts: <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/2802089/Campaign-highlights-cigarette-litter-problem" rel="nofollow">http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/2802089/Campaign-highlights-cigarette-litter-problem</a> Following other city councils throughout New Zealand, Wellington are tio install marine themed grates over central city drains to encourage the public to think about connection to our sea. Education is one thing, but what else could be done? Ideas anyone?

Kirstie on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

Kirstie — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:21:41 +0000

Nick Holmes has also created a petition on his site - visit and sign up one and all!! <a href="http://smokingkills.co.nz" rel="nofollow">http://smokingkills.co.nz</a>

Helen on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

Helen — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:49:03 +0000

When we did a beach clean up at Oriental Bay in Wellington we picked up thousands of cigarette butts. We shoudl have posted them to a cigarette manufacturer. Filthy habit! Weirdly smokers don't seem to consider that their butts are "rubbish" but are OK to be thrown on the ground or wherever. Speaking of filth, today I was looking out our office window and saw the folks at Bodega bar swooshing a large amount of a mysterious white substance out their doorway and across the footpath and into their gutter, and from there into the stormwater drains. Whatever it was, by now it has probably ended up in a stream or the harbour, so I hope it wasn't too lethal.

brent on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

brent — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:04:33 +0000

drop an email to <a href="mailto:info@reelearth.org.nz">info@reelearth.org.nz</a> we are already getting sorted for second season on Waihikie Island, and are jacking up some AKL proper options as well.

auckland anne on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

auckland anne — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:07:28 +0000

Yes, I'd be interested in getting the local F&B up here in Auckland involved in some way so we can promote any tour to show these films here - maybe something's already arranged that we can tap into Brent?

Kirstie on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

Kirstie — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:17:48 +0000

Ah ha - the one we didn't quite manage to get for our Blue Wellington Seaweek film screening (www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/branches/wellington/blue-wellington). Looks like a great film Brent!! No wonder it did well in Reel Earth (www.reelearth.org.nz). What's the crack re. release/screenings? Is there a Reel Earth tour or do we book direct according to our programmes? Would be good if you could do a noew topic in Green Room for Reel Earth :) :) :)

brent on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

brent — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:40:09 +0000

your lucky day anne - Nick Holmes has recently made an excellent (and now critically acclaimed) short film on this very topic, with a NZ angle. <a href="http://smokingkills.co.nz/" rel="nofollow">http://smokingkills.co.nz/</a>

auckland anne on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

auckland anne — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:34:25 +0000

Maybe the idea could be run past Jenny or the branch KCC co-ordinators, or even the Marine Group, and someone might be keen to advance it?

Kirstie on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

Kirstie — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:46:32 +0000

I love the stencil idea Anne. Actually, Northland based group "Experiencing Marine Reserves" are doing exactly that through their educational programmes. Here's a pic I took when I visited them last year:

auckland anne on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

auckland anne — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:03:26 +0000

You know that video clip you have on the F&B blog, Kirstie - the one with the toaster (not a shark), well it could be re-done with a big cigarette butt instead. (Apologies to anyone who hasn't seen the blog video and I've just ruined the end for them)...but (butt) have a look at it on the blog - it's great...

auckland anne on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

auckland anne — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:56:02 +0000

(Re)move your butt... All joking aside - all that stormwater that washes down the street gutters and straight out to sea. Ooh!! Some years ago, the Auckland Regional Council (and probably/hopefully others) came up with the idea to stencil fish and "This goes straight to the sea" messages next to open drains. Is anyone still doing this? I'd imagine at least some KCC kids would love to take up this little exercise. I can just imagine having fish and other sea creatures stencilled and painted everywhere and not just on drains though!! Oh well, would that be such a bad thing? I can just see councils sueing F&B for littering....

Kirstie on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

Kirstie — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:17:55 +0000

Image

Kirstie on "Butt butt butt... JUST STOP IT. Cigarette butts are killing our seas"

Kirstie — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:15:50 +0000

According to researchers at San Diego Stea University, one of the commonest and most toxic forms of litter in our seas are.... Cigarette Butts. That's right! the study found that cigarette butss are more harmful to wildlife and the environment than previously thought and are as a rulst calling for a 'hazardous waste' classification: <a href="http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/may/01/sdsu-study-says-cigarette-butts-kill-fish/" rel="nofollow">http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/may/01/sdsu-study-says-cigarette-butts-kill-fish/</a> Those of us who regularly comb our beaches for litter will be more than familar with the common butt. Not the most pleasant of finds and one that stirs the inner beast with rage - it's plastic for goodnes sake. Do people not realise that? apparently not - or they do, they don't seem to care. In Seaweek last year Forest & Bird collected over 2000 cigarette butts from Wellington's Oreintal beach - a City Council groomed beach so supposedly one of the capitol's cleaner ones. Let's all take action today for Ocean's Day and stop those butts from polluting of beaches, rivers, streams and seas.