Butt hunting is fast becoming a recreational pastime for residents of the Sunshine Coast with the aim to collect 1 million butts.
The butts are not the human kind, but those dropped by cigarette smokers. Butt hunters across the coast are sick of seeing the cigarette litter thrown everywhere and the Great Butt Muster is now open.
Suzie Temple and a band of volunteers have been collecting butts for a month and are appalled by the number of them, particularly along the Maroochy River.
She said, “In one short walk along the Maroochy River I picked up over 1000 butts. I am absolutely astonished by the number of them”.
Ms Temple added, “Butts flicked onto the ground eventually make their way to rivers and pollute them. What we are picking up are only those butts on the shore. I’d hate to think how many are in the river”.
The group however now have a new challenge with the donation of a 1m3 see through perspex box by Maroochy Waterwatch.
Cerran Fawns, CEO of Maroochy Waterwatch said, “I heard about their efforts and wanted to thank the group for helping look after the river. After meeting up with Suzie, we decided to set the challenge and fill the box with littered butts.
She added, “We estimate that the box can contain about 1 million butts. Once filled it will be used as an educational resource to show people the extent of the problem”.
A Facebook page has also been developed to track the progress of the project http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bin-ur-butts/166878313387480.
The groups are also calling for more volunteers to help in their crusade. Butts can be collected from any location. Use gloves and place the butts in an old sealable soft drink bottle.
Ms Fawns added, “If you don’t have a old bottle at home, there are plenty along the banks of the Maroochy River which you can use!”.
Collected butts can be dropped off at the Maroochy Waterwatch office, Donaldson Rd, Nambour.
