Green Your Day

The new law in Israel prohibiting smoking in public areas and restaurants means one step closer to cleaner, greener living, right?

Not exactly, walk by any coffee shop in Tel Aviv and the first thing you will notice are dozens of cigarette butts surrounding the area.

Why is this happening? Restaurant owners are prohibiting smoking anywhere on restaurant property (including tables outside) and requesting that their customers smoke just outside the property line before returning to their tables.

The result? City sidewalks and curbs are turning into heavily littered personal ashtrays.

Yeah, but what could I possible do about it?

1. Don’t smoke. I know: easier said than done. But if you can’t not smoke, then at least smoke less.
2. When you finish your cigarette, head to the nearest garbage can. Since most coffee shops in Israel are located under residential buildings, a garbage bin can usually be found within seconds if you just make an effort.
3. Talk to the restaurant owner or manager and request that they provide an ashtray to place where their customers stand to smoke.
4. Quit assuming that there is some kind of cigarette fairy that comes out in the middle of the night to make your dirty litter magically disappear. Street sweepers work extremely hard in tough weather conditions to make sure that you and I have a clean street to walk on. Most of these workers are old enough to be our grandparents.