The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
Enough is enough with cigarette butts on beaches! In Greece there are at least 50 cigarette butts per 100 meters of beach. Cigarette butts are the #1 plastic litter on Greek beaches. They may seem innocent, but this plastic waste (yes, it is plastic) is a real threat to the environment, marine life, and our health. And between you and me, they are also totally unsightly.
Most smokers don't know that cigarette butts are single-use plastic, and extremely toxic to the natural environment and marine life. And, on top of that, everything that is consumed by fish and seafood ends up on our plates too!
So, this year it's time to say BUTT OFF! and throw the cigarette butts where they belong. In the trash!
Through an awareness campaign, WWF Greece invites you, as well as public institutions, businesses and citizens' groups to take action, to become part of positive change and to shout BUTT OFF! to cigarette butts on the beaches!
Do you also think that cigarette butts littering has gotten too much? You can be part of positive change and join us in shouting BUTT OFF!
Here you will find practical tips and materials to raise awareness among your local residents, passengers, guests, customers, fellow students and fellow citizens. Download the campaign materials (available in Greek) and spread the message everywhere!
THE REAL COST
We are used to seeing plastic as an easy and economical material. But its real cost - to the environment and our health - is enormous. Every year, thousands of tonnes of plastic are produced, creating a suffocating volume of waste. In Europe alone, of the 27 million tonnes of plastic waste produced each year, only a third is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, burned or - even worse - polluting the natural environment.
68KG OF PLASTIC!
In June 2019, WWF Greece presented the first national report on plastic pollution, revealing alarming data:
Greece produces around 700,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year - almost 68 kg per capita. During the tourist season, waste increases by up to 26%. Despite the need, only 8% of plastic is recycled, mainly due to limited infrastructure and poor management. 84% ends up in landfills.
BEACHES FULL OF PLASTIC
Every year, 40,000 tonnes of plastic leak into the environment - with 11,500 tonnes ending up in the Greek seas. Almost 70% of this pollutes the Greek coastline. Plastics make up by far the largest proportion of litter found on beaches (almost 83%). In fact, according to the results of WWF's coastal pollution monitoring programme "Adopt a Beach", just 5 types of plastic make up 50% of the total findings. #1 on the list is, of course, the infamous cigarette butt.
A HEALTHY PLANET WITH LESS PLASTIC
Plastics pose a serious threat to marine life - and to us. Large plastic objects can cause injury, suffocation and often death to marine animals, including protected or endangered species such as sea turtles. Even more worrying are microplastics: tiny, almost invisible fragments that have reached record levels in the Mediterranean. As they enter the food chain, they threaten not only marine ecosystems but also our health.
