According to scientists, we are on the brink of environmental collapse. With that in mind, numerous governments pledge to minimize their environmental footprints, while millions of people around the world are eager to live a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly life.
In case you are one of such people and a smoker, you might have started wondering how to keep smoking and avoid harming the environment while doing it. While it is not an easy task, it is doable, and the article below will help you figure it out. Here, you will find a list of three simple ways to make cigarette smoking as green as possible.
Switch to a Non-Filtered Variety
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Filters, which make inhaled smoke less harsh, are almost always made using non-biodegradable materials. So, once you dispose of a filter, it will not break down and keep on polluting the environment for generations to come.
For that reason, the easiest way to avoid harming the environment while smoking is to switch to a product that does not use a filter, such as a non-filtered variety of cigarettes. However, keep in mind that it might take you some time to get used to the taste.
A different way to be a more eco-conscious smoker would be to start rolling cigarettes and blunts by hand using glass blunts. In a nutshell, a glass blunt is a more environmentally friendly alternative to rolling papers and blunt wraps, as it is completely reusable and easy to clean. In case you need a more detailed guide to how a glass blunt works, here is a glass blunt tutorial that you can check out.
Another option that is worth taking into consideration is vaping. Provided that you buy a high-quality vaping device and that you keep it clean, it can last you a long time. As a result, you will not end up producing excess waste, such as cigarette butts.
Buy Organic Cigarettes
Tobacco is not a green crop. It is incredibly sensitive to disease, which means that it requires tons of pesticides. Between 1994 and 1998, in the United States alone, tobacco farmers used twenty seven million pounds of pesticides.
What is more, the crop is a major contributor to deforestation. The common way of drying out tobacco leaves requires an external heat source. In developing countries, where the majority of the world’s tobacco is grown, that heat source is usually a wood-burning fire.
According to the journal Tobacco Control, close to 494,211 acres of woodland and forest are cleared annually because of tobacco farming. To put it into perspective, that number comprises about 1.7 percent of forest-cover losses worldwide.
To mitigate the environmental effects of tobacco production, you could switch to tobacco products made using organically grown leaves. Such a product might be pricier, and the leaves that go into it are still cured using an external heat source, but its production does not require large amounts of pesticides, which is a huge plus.
Other than that, you could start vaping nicotine-free vape juice. After all, nicotine is often extracted from tobacco leaves. Avoiding nicotine altogether would definitely help you become a more eco-conscious smoker.
In case that is not an option that you want to go with, opt for vape juice that contains synthetic nicotine. Synthetic nicotine is created in laboratories and is not derived from tobacco, making it a more environmentally-friendly option in comparison to regular nicotine.
Dispose of Cigarette Butts
You can start being more responsible when the time comes to toss that dirty cigarette butt. It could really help protect the environment, as cigarette trash is a major problem around the world.
In fact, close to five trillion cigarettes are littered each year. On top of that, scientists agree that cigarette butts are the biggest ocean contaminant, not plastic straws, like you and many other people probably thought.
The easiest way to do something about it is to remember that cigarette butts go into the garbage, not on the ground. In addition to that, always put a smoke out before tossing it. Otherwise, it might cause a fire, and you probably do not want that to happen.
In Conclusion
To sum up, while it is not easy to smoke without harming the environment, it is possible. First of all, you might want to switch to a non-filtered variety of cigarettes. Alternatively, you could start using a glass blunt or a vaping device. Other than that, consider buying organic cigarettes and remember to always dispose of cigarette buds.
In case you really want to help the environment, think about volunteering for or donating to charities that focus on climate change and protecting wildlife, such as the Environmental Defense Fund. Supporting some smaller, local initiatives, such as Earth Day cleanups, is always a viable option, too!
