Cigarette butts (filters) are:
- The most littered item in the world
- The most commonly found litter itens on beaches all over Europe
- Non-biodegradable
- 95% off all cigarette butts are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic
- commonly found in stomachs of fish, birds, whales, and other marine creatures, which mistake them for food and then die from suffocation, starvation or poisoning.
Next time you want to get rid of your butt, think where you want it to end up!
Time to time I get a “free” magazine from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors). I still wonder why, but I guess its part of the diving course pack price…
The last issue I received was the one of January 2005. In the first 2 or 3 pages I got the usual common advert bombing, followed by some news; one of them was about Seal slaughtering in Ireland! Most of us are aware of the bloody history behind it with the most dramatic cases happening in Canada.
However, in this case I was astonished firstly because of the geographic site it took place and secondly mostly because the seals were left on the beach to rot and no fur of anything was taken… assuming that the reason for the killing wasn’t the fur, what it was? Are the seals eating too much fish around Ireland as well?
We humans have the strange tendency to destroy whatever surrounds us, for amusement or economical opportunities.
I have this condition… of sometimes not understanding my own species!
Arm yourself with knowledge and learn more about this case here.