Cigarette Smoking: How the Butts Harm the Environment

Smoking is nothing but harmful, thus there is the availability of e cigarette to help smokers kick the habit. Spring time is always about flowers, babbling brooks, blue skies, and a great chance to enjoy what the outdoors has to offer. But all these chances and beauty is at risk because of cigarettes, which never fail to damage the environment- the place where we live. Researchers have estimated that there are 1.7 billion pounds of cigarette butts which were accumulated in the oceans and lakes, as well as in the beaches and other places. These discarded filters and butts contain equally dangerous chemicals that can be found in a cigarette such as carcinogens and other poisons.

Globally, there are about 4.3 trillion butts littered in the earth. Smokers are coming all around the world, and thus, they discard tons of cigarette butts per year.  And in fact, this reality has triggered different companies and industries to create electronic cigarettes with an aim to lessen these cigarette butts scattered all around. As human beings, we do not live in a vacuum and the choices we make may have a way of trickling down to others, even those close to our hearts. In this case, clearly there is no intention of harming our loved ones and the environment as a whole, only unawareness took place. And without us knowing it, the cigarette butts we throw away after smoking goes back to the earth, which affects us in many ways. Therefore, we have to initiate an honest look at the different dangers associated with smoking. Think about how these seemingly small things create great destruction to the environment, harming every people and land.

Every chemical present in the filters and cigarettes are discarded back to the earth in ways that we may see or otherwise, and may take effect in the long run. But the scariest scenario is when people smoke in the park, playgrounds, and backyards. And without the smokers noticing it, the curious babies and toddlers pick up these cigarette butts and put inside their mouths. Though this problem can be avoided when using an electronic cigarette, still many people smoke a real cigarette. People need to be aware that cigarette butts can release chemicals like lead, cadmium, as well as arsenic in the environment.

For those who neglect the idea of using e cigarettes instead of real ones, would suffer the consequence for such. It would never be a problem if cigarettes materials would simply biodegrade, disintegrate, or disappear and spare the environment from the damages. But the effects of smoking in the environment leaves a stain that is never simple to eradicate. They do not biodegrade. In fact, they remain in the sewers, soil, beaches, and other bodies of water, and eventually pollute the oceans and lakes, even the fish, mammals and birds.

The simple act of lighting a cigarette, pipe, or cigar puts the place at risk and even sets a venue for significant property damages. The losses that one may incur from smoking-related accidents such as fire might be so high. Although some people resort to e cig to satisfy their craving and avoid potential damages. Smoking is a very saddening habit. Smokers might be aware that they are causing serious health problems in their body, but how many of them are aware of how much damage they create in the environment?