Who gave you the right?

There's an old television commercial of a fisherman and his son on a boat. The fisherman throws garbage overboard and the son asks where does the garbage go (when it goes into the water). The fisherman answers in stoic fashion, "Away".

The commercial was developed to promote anti littering campaigns on the water, emphasizing the drastic effects it can have on marine life.

Texas developed a formidable campaign addressing the same littering issues. "Don't Mess with Texas" was a strong message that delivered a clear desired outcome.

There seems to be less littering in our society today than there was thirty years ago. But there is still one area that needs major attention: Cigarette butts.

Walk down the street of any community and you'll see the nasty discarded fragments of desperation following you wherever you go.

Both my parents smoked cigarettes when I was young. I was used to having ashtrays around the house, cigarette butts in the car and breathing second hand smoke. It was a different time.

Today as more and more understand the dangers of smoking, times have changed. Second hand smoke seems to be a thing of the past as more smokers are forced to smoke outside. I haven't seen a used ashtray in years. They don't even put them in cars any more. Not to mention the cigarette lighter has been replaced with the electrical outlet most cars.

Given all of these social changes, many who do smoke still don't respect their environment. As a restauranteur we would periodically go outside and pick up butts from customers who would fling their discarded cancer sticks before enjoying a hearty breakfast. Although the paper and burnt up tobacco disintegrates with a bit of rain, the filter lingers.

Pick a day, any day and you can find someone flick their butt out a car window. Do people realize that the filter ends up polluting our beautiful communities?

Although less people are throwing litter in the ditches, smokers continue to devalue our communities with their habits.

I am sympathetic to those who smoke. It is something either they like to do or something they cannot quit. And since we live in a free country, I believe it is their right to smoke away.

If you're a smoker, keep your butts in a bottle in the car. Why does the world have to clean up your discarded garbage?

Like the commercial from the early eighties, do you think your butts just go away?