Just butt out

Put litter in its place

There’s no denying it—Arkansas is one of the most beautiful states in the country. People from all over the world travel to Arkansas to hike, bike, camp and visit our amazing parks and beautiful lakes. We have some of the best hunting and fishing you’ll find in the world.

As wonderful as it is, Arkansas has one very big problem—litter.

Litter has a huge impact on the economy of our state and is a reflection of how much we value our own backyard.

Trash in ditches and scattered in our parks reflects poorly on every Arkansan.

And what is the No. 1 littered item in the world? That’s right, cigarette butts!

Cigarette butts are made from a plastic—cellulose acetate—that is full of toxins and does not biodegrade, but rather breaks down into microplastics that end up in our environment. They may start out on the streets, highways and parking lots, but as soon as it rains they go right into our rivers, lakes and streams.

Littering anything—cigarette butts, Sonic cups, banana peels, you name it—is illegal in Arkansas and carries up to a $1,000 fine for a first offense. I can think of better ways to spend $1,000, can’t you?

So, what can you do to help keep our state clean and green? For starters, you can put litter in its place—a trash or cigarette receptacle. Encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Want to be even more proactive? You can also volunteer! Every year, Keep Arkansas Beautiful promotes and supports two major cleanups: the Great American Cleanup in the spring and the Great Arkansas Cleanup in the fall.

Tens of thousands of Arkansans volunteer every year and pick up tons of litter, as well as spearhead beautification efforts in their communities. It is truly amazing to see so many people investing their time and effort in the places they work and live.

The people of Arkansas are truly as amazing as our state is beautiful.

Won’t you please help us out? Visit KeepArkansasBeautiful.com and register a cleanup in your community. You can also text VOLUNTEER to 484848 to get news and information about efforts taking place in your area.

Reach out to us on social media to show us how you’re making a positive impact on your community with the hashtags #keep AR beautiful and #Make Arkansas Green. We look forward to hearing from you!