Did you know that cigarette butts are the most commonly littered item in San Francisco – harming wildlife and the environment ? They are and we ’ re glad that volunteers from Salesforce and the Surfrider Foundation took action .
To celebrate the installation of a new cigarette butt recycling station – outside the Salesforce East building at 350 Mission St . – more than 25 volunteers picked up butts within a six-block radius in the Financial District . They tackled Market , Beale , Mission and Fremont streets .
Cigarette smokers in the area are encouraged to dispose of their cigarette butts in the new recycling container , the contents of which will be sent to TerraCycle , an organization that aims to recycle everyday items that aren ’ t easily recyclable .
Many of the Salesforce staff that volunteered included interns and recent college graduates or new hires , as part of the Salesforce college recruiting program .
You , too , can help out : the Surfrider Foundation San Francisco Chapter has an ongoing Hold on to Your Butt campaign , designed to get butts off our streets and beaches to protect our oceans , waterways and drinking water .
Cigarette butts are very difficult to pick up because they get caught in cracks and crevices and often must be plucked up one by one .
Join Surfrider at its next beach cleanup , or contact Public Works to host your own volunteer event .
January 2017 - San Francisco Public Works Newsletter