Recent research commissioned by Butt Free Australia shows that when it comes to cigarette butt littering size really does matter.
The research, undertaken by Millward Brown, showed that smallness is an enabler of butt litter. The smallness of butts means people think of butts as insignificant or less significant than other litter. Most litterers are unaware of the impacts of butt litter and expect butts to disintegrate, wrongly thinking that they are made of paper and cotton wool and break up easily in the soil and on the ground.
The small size means the act of butt-littering is less obvious and that butt littering is easily hidden, hence less social stigma. With comments like ‘you can get away with throwing a butt on the ground, but you couldn’t do that with a soft drink can’ there is a clear need for the attitudes and behaviours of butt litterers to change.
So does size really matter? Well when you think that there is around 7 billion butts littered in Australia each year, it certainly does. The message is simple ‘PLEASE BUTT IT, THEN BIN IT’®.
Want to know more? Check out “Understanding attitudes & behaviour behind cigarette butt littering” in our research section.
Blog: 26 Feb 2010
