Butt It Matters

06/03/2026

It’s been three weeks since the cigarette receptacles were installed and the cleanup effort was undertaken with students from the Prout School. This past Friday we did our first clean out and collected almost 100 cigarette butts (filters made of plastic) from the receptacles and 19 from the ground, in addition to a small amount of trash and a pair of shorts in the Pier alone. Considering the unfavorable weather leading up to the rainy Memorial Day weekend, not many folk have been out and about yet, But this is a great beginning. It was also a valuable experience to meet and discuss the program with many interested individuals, and we even had opportunities to speak with smokers, showcasing the receptacles, explaining, and providing pocket ashtrays to those who wanted them and were unfamiliar with such items until now. Thank you to everyone who has made use of the receptacles and the inquiries so far. Till next time, have a great day and remember small action add up to make a big impact!!🤜🚬🤛

05/28/2026

Did you know that balloons can be hazardous? Notably, ingestion of balloon fragments can cause starvation and internal injuries in animals like sea turtles and birds that mistake them for food. Entanglements also pose a threat, as wildlife can become trapped by balloon ribbons and rendered unable to eat or defend themselves. Furthermore, testing has revealed that numerous consumer balloon packs contain carcinogenic chemical compounds in excess of safe toy limits. The environmental impact of released balloons is also significant, as they drift into oceans and forests, where wildlife mistakes them for food, leading to digestive tract blockages and starvation. In Rhode Island, it is illegal to intentionally release, or organize the simultaneous release of, 10 or more balloons. Town-specific rules can be stricter than the state law. For example, New Shoreham (Block Island) enforces a total ban on the sale, use, and distribution of all balloons on the island. Just one released is a negative impact. The last picture shows a piece of plastic I retrieved near this balloon, and it appears to have been bitten thousands of times. No Butts about it, this is just one reason why we contribute.

05/27/2026

WAY TO GO Have you every heard of a generational ban on ci******es and to***co product sales yet? The Maldives became the first country in the world to impose a generational smoking ban, barring anyone born after Jan. 1, 2007, from ever smoking, purchasing or using to***co

05/20/2026

Have you heard of generational ban on smoking yet? Way to go
Will this also help with the litter?
The Maldives became the first country in the world to impose a generational smoking ban, barring anyone born after Jan. 1, 2007, from ever smoking, purchasing or using to***co.

A new to***co policy in Northampton will effectively create a “ni****ne-free generation”

05/17/2026

We would like to welcome as the newest participants in our community cigarette litter prevention recycling program. By joining this initiative, they are contributing to a nationwide effort to address the substantial problem of cigarette litter and raise awareness about the importance of proper cigarette butt disposal in public areas including sandy beaches and waterways. Our gratitude extends to Melanie for connecting us with from The meeting was a pleasure, and we are looking forward to exploring ways to collaborate on reducing waste and promoting environmental protection. We also had the opportunity to discuss our portable pocket ashtrays and temporary cigarette pouches, which are designed to encourage responsible disposal practices. Thank you to Tetrahydroclub for their dedication to preserving the environment one cigarette butt at a time!!

05/13/2026

Did you know?

Litter study just dropped!! Read more. 🤜🚬🤛///♻️🚬💚

🎉 BIG NEWS: Our 2026 National Litter Study is here!

After months of research, we’re thrilled to release the most comprehensive data on litter in America—and the findings are incredibly encouraging.

Litter across U.S. roadways and waterways is down 34% since 2020. Every American’s share dropped from 152 pieces to 96. This is proof that when communities work together, real change happens.

But our work is far from done—35 billion pieces of litter remain. The study shows us exactly where we need to focus next, and with America’s 250th birthday approaching, there has never been a better time to finish what we started.

📊 Dive into the data and discover what’s working across the country.

Read the full 2026 National Litter Study now: https://kab.org/litter/litter-study/

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day Mother Earth!

On Friday afternoon we had our collaborated cleanup and cigarette receptacle installs with students from The Prout Schools environmental awareness class and the ocean class. Together we collected over 600 butts, 1 metal lobster pot, pieces of a metal cage and 20 lbs of trash debris in the Pier and beach area alone. We installed 5 cigarette butt receptacles at the State Pier 5 in Narragansett. This will give smokers a place to properly dispose of their butts which many don’t realize the filters are made up of a plastic called cellulose acetate and persist in our environment harming marine and wildlife.
Thank you to the State of Rhode Island for giving us the micro grant and the green light to complete this very needed project! It’s a start! Thank you to Tyson Edmonds and all of his students for their great work and participation. A shoutout to the organization that did a trash pick up in the area one week prior - you made it so much easier to get to the butts! We know how long that takes! And as always, thank you for providing refreshments and giving the volunteers free shake & tea combos! It’s always a great way to refuel! Thank you and for providing these resources to better our nation!!

05/08/2026

Come show your love for the environment with us at Pier 5 in Narragansett today at 1:15 as we beautify this iconic area. We will also be handing out these top notch cigarette pouches and one other type to adult smokers for temporarily storing cigarette butts until a designated cigarette recycling receptacle or waste disposal unit becomes available.Just s***f out the lit cigarette and insert it into this pouch designed to prevent odors. Do you want to then here’s your chance, grab one of these large pouches and collect littered cigarette butts to send into to recycle them into other products such as benches, tool handles, shipping creates and more. Thank you and for these awesome cigarette pouches (pocket ashtrays) We are sure to get these out to whom ever would like to help keep them out of the environment. Refreshment provided by Hope to see you this afternoon!!

05/07/2026

05/06/2026

Yes!!! What are they waiting for?