Expand/Contract Questions and Answers
About 4.2 trillion cigarette butts are thrown on the ground be people each year worldwide.
What about our state of Louisiana? Based off of cigarette tax records, it is estimated that our state tosses about 743 million butts on the ground. If you were to lay each of these butts end to end, in terms of distance, that comes out to about 12,000 miles!
Do you know how long 12,000 miles really is? It's about halfway around the Equator of the Earth!
Litter is any kind of trash that isn't thrown away properly. Litter not only is a problem, it is a crime. The largest single product group littered in Louisiana, according to a survey, are cigarette butts and take-out food packaging, including cups, napkins, plates, bags, etc. Candy wrappers and beverage containers are also a big problem.
Another big problem in our community are the places you see outside of communities that look like a big pile of trash. These areas are called "illegal dump sites." Some people who don't care about the cleanliness of our area choose to dump their trash on other people's land, without permission.