Members of the Redlands Community Center Youth Volunteers, Teens Inspiring Others, conducted a tobacco litter cleanup Friday, Aug. 2, in Sylvan Park. Within 40 minutes, 14 youth volunteers and seven adults covered 23 acres of Sylvan Park picking up more than 2,100 cigarette butts, tobacco-related litter and marijuana paraphernalia.
Cigarette butts are a toxic, non-biodegradable substance that is left behind to pollute the environment and is the most commonly littered item in the United States. These items are especially problematic when they are found in areas that are frequented by children and pets. They pose an additional risk if they are ingested.
When smoking occurs in public areas, such as parks, it also places the public at risk of third-hand smoke, a toxic residue that is left on surfaces long after the smoke from devices such as cigarettes and electronic cigarettes has dissipated. According to the California Department of Public Health, third-hand smoke contains high levels of nicotine and cancer-causing chemicals. Some of the chemicals in third-hand smoke are different from those found in fresh smoke because it changes over time and becomes more toxic.
The park cleanup was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Common Vision Coalition, Teens Inspiring Others, Institute for Public Strategies, and California Health Collaborative – San Bernardino County Tobacco Control Program to promote wellness in the community.
“We’re excited to be working with the youth and community leaders to discuss how tobacco not only impacts them but the health of the community as a whole,” said Addison Saenz, program manager of the California Health Collaborative – San Bernardino County Tobacco Control Program.
“We as parents, grandparents, and community leaders must do whatever we can to inform and educate ourselves on how to protect our children within our community,” said Mario Saucedo, Chair of the Common Vision Coalition. “We are excited to see the Redlands youth actively engaged in making our community a healthier place.”
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