BIG BUTT CHALLENGE

Calling ALL CLUBS… we, the District 5020 Environment Committee, hereby CHALLENGE you to a BUTT-PICKING contest this September!!!

WIN $500 to use towards an ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY project of your choosing!

 Earn BRAGGING RIGHTS and RESPECT!

Become an ECO-HERO!

DID YOU KNOW?

Every year, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded into the environment.

They’re not just eyesores, they’re toxic waste, packed with plastic fibers and harmful chemicals that pollute our cities, poison our waterways, and threaten wildlife around the globe.

A single butt can contaminate up to 1,000 litres of water!

Together, we can change that… PARTICIPATE in this FUN district-wide challenge to help CLEAN UP your community and CARE for our shared environment!

WHAT TO DO

REGISTER

  • Register your Club team HERE (link coming soon)
  • Choose a “Big Butt Boss” to be your team leader and point-of-contact for the challenge

PREPARE

  • Gloves, litter pickers, or tongs
  • Reusable containers or collection bags

COLLECT

  • Choose one day or every day throughout September to collect your cigarette butts
  • All butts count, be they littered or donated by smokers you know
  • Hot spots include, but are not limited to, vicinities around city benches, near building entrances and exits, in alleyways, around parking lots, along sidewalk curbs and in gutters, at bus stops, in plant beds, near bike racks, on beaches, along beach-adjacent walkways, around picnic areas, and even near cigarette butt disposal cannisters

COUNT

  • Count each butt individually, while collecting (must have a good memory), or after
  • Count how many butts fit in your container and multiply by the number of times the container is filled (e.g., 200 butts X 3 fills = 600 butts)
  • Weigh your butts (average weight of one cigarette butt = 0.2 grams) and tally approximate number (1kg = 5000 cigarette butts, and 1lb = 2667 cigarette butts)

SHIP

  • Package your butts and ship them for FREE to TerraCycle where they will be recycled
  • Download your shipping label from the TerraCycle website

Clubs in Canada: UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program | TerraCycle

Clubs in United States: Cigarette Waste Free Recycling Program · TerraCycle

    1. Confirm you are of legal age or older
    2. Enroll (join) in the Program (this will involve creating an account)
    3. When filling in the details choose “Community Organization” under Organization Type and enter your Club name under Organization Name
    4. Once enrolled you can “Get Shipping Label” which will be sent to you by email
  • Print your label and adhere it to your package of butts
  • Take your prepared package to the nearest UPS location and send it off to TerraCycle FREE of charge

REPORT Report your total butt count and confirmation of shipping HERE (link coming soon) by September 30

CELEBRATE The Club with the most butts collected and successfully shipped to TerraCycle will be declared the winner of the 2026 BIG BUTT CHALLENGE

More than a contest, this FUN challenge is about Clubs UNITING in the effort to preserve the health of our beautiful natural spaces, clean up our communities, and contribute to the overall wellbeing of humanity.

THANK YOU!!!

MORE ABOUT BUTTS

Butts by Jim Force, Rotarian and “Butt Picker”

Global Society World News video: Cigarette Butts: The Hidden Threat to our Environment

TerraCycle video: How Cigarette Butts are Recycled at TerraCycle

National Geographic video: Turning Cigarette Butts into Park Benches

National Geographic article and video: Cigarette butts are toxic plastic pollution. Should they be banned?

CBC news video: Think Before you Flick Campaign

Ocean Impact

Cigarette butts are the #1 marine litter item, more common than plastic straws or bags. They seep arsenic, lead, and nicotine into the water, poisoning fish, birds, and even coral reefs. Just one butt can pollute up to 1,000 liters of water.

Wildlife Harm

Small animals, birds, and marine life mistake cigarette butts for food, which can lead to ingestion, poisoning, and even death. The plastic fibres in filters don’t break down, making them a persistent threat to wildlife.

Urban Pollution

Dropped on sidewalks or tossed from car windows, cigarette butts contribute to urban blight and cost cities millions in cleanup every year. Butts clog drains, cause flooding, and release toxins into the soil.

Fire Hazard

Improperly discarded cigarette butts can cause wildfires and urban fires, especially in dry conditions. Countless fires worldwide have been started by smoldering cigarette butts tossed onto dry grass, leaves, or garbage.

CONTACT

Sonnet Force

STP ComplianceEHS Editor
Rotary Club of Oak Bay Environment Committee Chair
District 5020 Environment Committee Member
ESRAG Member

Mobile: 250-241-5974

Email: lyreforce@gmail.com