Why is it that, with all the trash cans located throughout campus, smokers are unable to ensure their cigarette butts end up in the garbage or smoke pits NIU provides?

The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program has found cigarette butts contribute “28 percent to 33 percent of litter nationwide…,” according to New York Times writer Leslie Kaufman. That’s quite an astounding statistic and leaves me wondering how this could be so.

Why is something so simple, like walking 10 feet to a trash can, so difficult? Don’t get me wrong: I too am a smoker, but it seems that whenever I go to throw away my cigarette, there is always a collection of butts lying next to the trash or smoke pit. NIU has a beautiful campus, but all this cigarette litter takes away from the beauty and makes NIU look like an ash tray.

Well, fear not, my fellow Huskies; there is hope. I have come up with an idea in order to help assist smokers in getting rid of their cigarette butts in a manner that will not result in making NIU look like an ashtray. My solution is timely enough that you will not end up missing class because of it.

If you are afraid your cigarette will cause a fire in the trash, don’t worry: There is a simple solution to this. When you’ve finished your cigarette, flick out the burning part, or do like I do: Twist the base of the cigarette where the filter meets the tobacco and ensure that all the tobacco falls out of the cigarette. Flick the cigarette with your finger to feel whether or not there is heat, and throw it in the trash can before continuing on with your day.

This literally takes me only 10 seconds to do. I don’t believe I have ever had to use this process as an excuse to my professors for why I was late for class.

If there seems to be no trash cans around you–which is only a select few areas on campus–put the butt in your pocket and wait until you have access to a garbage receptacle. Repeat the steps I mentioned above to ensure you don’t burn yourself, and put that little sucker in your pocket. It’s that simple.

My last word of advice is to take some initiative and ensure smokers are putting their butts in the appropriate place. I know this may feel awkward; I especially can’t imagine myself telling a stranger to pick up their butts, but if you are smoking in a group make sure your friends dispose of their butts properly. It’s not that difficult.

It’s time we took pride in the beauty of our campus. While I feel that a cigarette in between classes is sometimes necessary, I think we need to be considerate of others who, like me, enjoy taking in the beauty of our campus.