Neighborhood Notes

January 1, 2009 signifies a new era for Oregonians when the Smokefree Workplace Law bans smoking from any establishment that is not a designated smoke shop or cigar bar. In addition, smoking will be prohibited within 10 feet of doors or open windows.

What does this mean for us? It means that you won't go home from a bar needing to take a shower and wash all your clothing. But it also means that there will be more cigarette butts than ever in the streets and on sidewalks.

No smoking within 10 feet of the entrance removes the responsibility of cleanliness from the business owner and puts it in the hands of the smoker. Ten feet outside of a bar, especially in high-density neighborhoods like the inner city neighborhoods will often put you in front of another business or in the streets.

When in the streets, many smokers will choose to stomp their butts instead of disposing of them properly. Cigarette butts are composed of a type of plastic that can persist in the environment for years. Additionally cigarette butts leach harmful chemicals like cadmium, lead and arsenic into the environment. Butts have also been found in the stomachs of aquatic and avian animals. But what can we do about the piles of Butts?

Join the Butt Brigade Committee and team up to educate and eliminate the eyesore. The Butt Brigade Committee will:

• sponsor community butt pick up days

• work with city officials to enforce anti-litter laws

• implement a cigarette litter prevention program

• identify stakeholders to help spread the word and fund advertising

• plan and implement large-scale public awareness events

• seek funding to purchase personal ashtrays to hand out as well as funding to place additional ash receptacles in high traffic areas

• talk with local business owners to encourage a sense of responsibility and to encourage preventative action

If you, or someone you know may be interested in participating in this committee please contact Mark Sieber, mark@nwnw.org to learn when the first meeting will take place.

Submitted by Alison Wallisch
Neighborhood Clean Up Program Coordinator
Neighbors West-Northwest