For the BID, there’s no “butts” about it…

Business in the BID

For the BID, there’s no “butts” about it…

            No “butts” about it – cigarette butts are the number one litter problem in Downtown Durango – a fact those who participated in the Clean Day on May 22 undoubtedly learned the hard way. 

While it’s always been something of a problem in Downtown, with the recent smoking laws disallowing lighting up inside restaurants, bars and other establishments, the “clusters” of butts on the streets have proliferated. The Downtown flower pots have been used as ashtrays, and the grates around the trees are filled with the unpleasant little buggers. If they do make it into the gutter, they’re but a street sweeping or heavy rain away from being washed into the Animas River.  All this doesn’t bode well for business in the BID (or our health and the environment).

            According to Keep America Beautiful (KAB), ash-only receptacles have proven the most effective in reducing cigarette litter, so the Business Improvement District Board has stepped forward to partner with KAB in its Cigarette Litter Prevention Program. This is not an anti-smoking program; it’s an anti-litter program.

            As part of the effort, the BID has purchased (at a cost of $279 each) 25 Landmark Smokers Urns – 40” tall, cast aluminum units that “extinguish” the cigarettes by denying them oxygen. The urns have been distributed to 25 “volunteer” merchants in the district, at no cost. The merchants have agreed to maintain the urns with proper set-up, usage and cleaning, and to physically secure them to their place of business to prevent theft and deter vandalism.

            The commitment to KAB also calls for the formation of an anti-litter task force, the distribution of free pocket ashtrays and before-and-after litter scans. Indeed, before the urns arrived, Downtown Business Specialist Bob Kunkel walked the district with a camera, capturing the various “methods” merchants had been employing to avoid cigarette butt litter. The photo array was shocking.

            The initial urn purchase is in essence an experiment for the BID. Will these uniform, upscale and attractive urns help mitigate the butt litter? Time will tell. And if they do indeed prove effective, the BID will look into purchasing more. One of the keys to maintaining a desirable and alluring Downtown is to keep it clean.

            And for those who argue that cigarette butts are biodegradable – that’s a myth. According to www.cigarettelitter.org (a site that encourages smoker etiquette), 

“Different groups have done different studies and their results differ, with some people saying cigarettes decompose in a year, some saying it takes 12 years, and others saying they never decompose at all (the filters are made of a type of acetate that never fully breaks down)… Do your own experiment. Put a cigarette in an outdoor planter (use a string or pin to secure it), and see how long it stays there. We guarantee it will be a long term experiment! However long you finally decide it takes for a cigarette to decompose, ask yourself if you would like all such ‘biodegradable’ items to be thrown on the ground... It wouldn't be pretty.”

            Next on the BID’s “litter” agenda? Gum. It’s the number two litter issue in the Downtown. The BID is continuing to explore effective ways to remove these unsightly blotches from our Downtown sidewalks – though changing individual behavior would be preferable. Do remember that all types of littering are against state and local law – and a finable offence. And to answer the unasked question, since chewing gum is, at its base, wax, rubber or plastic – it’s not biodegradable either.

The Durango Business Improvement District was formed in 1997 with a goal and mission to support businesses within the District by assisting with special event marketing, providing research on topics of concern to the District (facilities, special events, best practices), planning and development of new facilities, and providing capital budget for equipment that enhances business in the District. Funding is generated by a 1.5 mill levy on property owners within the district, with additional marketing dollars contributed by the City of Durango and Durango Area Tourism Office. BID Board members are John Wells, presiding officer; Bob Allen, Karen Barger, Rod Barker and Tim Wheeler.