Smoker trash: recycling the butt

As a member of Fairshare International which proposes the 5.10.5.10 principles, I was interested to hear about New York's proposed cigarette-butt recycling program.

The New York Times reports that New York state is considering a cigarette-butt recycling program that aspires to: 1) protect the environment, and 2) create employment. In cigarette-butt recycling programs around the world, the butts are used to create adhesives, sealants, and pipe coatings. A Brazilian fashion designer uses cigarette-butts in her clothing. First they are cleaned, dyed and spun together with sheep wool, and the end product is used as a material for clothing.

New York state is considering potential ways to clean up the state and create recycling and other related jobs under the cigarette-butt recycling program.

Fairshare International's 5.10.5.10 principles (http://fairshareinternational.org/):

5 - Redistributing at least 5% of your gross annual income to programs that provide direct assistance to financially disadvantaged individuals, families and communities and/or for the care of the natural environment.
10 - Reducing your use of water, energy and minerals by at least 10% and sustaining reduced consumption.
5 - Building community through contributing at least 5% of your leisure time annually in direct, face to face assistance to people in your neighbourhood who are tackling social or environmental challenges.
10 - Taking significant democratic action at least ten times a year to correct practices associated with greed and injustice that hurt people and the environment.

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