For the third consecutive year #CAMBIAGESTO is back. The campaign promoted and financed by Philip Morris Italy which aims to make smokers aware of the serious environmental consequences that theabandonment of butts of cigarette on the ground. The event will take place on the occasion of World Environment Day, Saturday 5 June, starting from Naples, Pescara, Matera and Perugia. A simple and direct way to concretely promote the correct disposal of this small waste because taking care of our planet is the first step for our well-being.
Leaving a cigarette butt on the ground is still an act done without thinking, but it has serious consequences for the environment. The numbers speak for themselves of this: they are approx 800 tons of butts are lost every year in the environment all over the world, small wastes that can pollute marine and terrestrial ecosystems if not managed correctly.
And with this objective the campaign promoted and financed by Philip Morris Italia was born: to support and strengthen the sense of individual responsibility and, at the same time, to encourage the adoption of virtuous and sustainable behaviors for the environment. As? Engaging hundreds of tobacconists throughout Italy where, in addition to the distribution of information material, they will be made available to adult smokers over 270 pocket ashtrays.
It's not all. The tour of the initiative will touch this year 18 Italian cities. It starts from Naples, Pescara, Matera and Perugia which will host the awareness-raising actions carried out by the partner environmental associations in the squares and main streets: Retake, a non-profit movement active in the field of environmental protection, e Plastic Free, which for years has been committed to involving citizens on the issues of plastic pollution.
In addition, the campaign has received the sponsorship of Ministry of Ecological Transition and is created in collaboration with the support of the many volunteers of environmental associations who have always been committed to fighting the phenomena of littering and environmental degradation.
"Unlike many uncivilized gestures, the abandonment of a butt on the ground is, unfortunately, still a gesture done without thinking - he said Francesca Elisa Lionelli, President of Retake Rome -. After 10 years of Retake's activity, we know that in order to create civic awareness, in addition to approving rules of behavior at the legislative level, it is necessary to raise awareness among people through dedicated campaigns, focused on the reasons for improving their daily habits. Precisely for this reason Retake celebrates World Environment Day by inaugurating the stages of #CAMBIAGESTO: in fact, everyone's gesture can make a difference for everyone and for our planet!"
Luca De Gaetano, President of the Onlus Plastic Free, he underlined that "The degradation time of a cigarette butt can last up to 15 years and there are already many in the environment". For this reason, the initiative promoted by the multinational is a great "investment for a better future".
“#CAMBIAGESTO is a fundamental part of our sustainability strategy – he declared Michele Samoggia, Communications and Sustainability Manager of Philip Morris Italy –. Butt pollution can only be resolved by acting on prevention thanks to synergistic and effective actions capable of involving a plurality of subjects: companies, tobacconists, institutions, the third sector. For this I would like to thank all the partners involved who, for the third consecutive year, make #CAMBIAGESTO possible together with us".
