Saturday, June 24, 2021
San Diego State University’s Project team gathered along with a few community members to celebrate the kickoff of the Tobacco Product Waste Reduction Project collection events that will begin soon. The group gathered along the edge of San Diego Bay as planes occasionally soared overhead at Liberty Station, NTC Park.
Attendees first welcomed San Diego City Council President and District 2 Councilmember Dr. Jennifer Campbell to the podium. She shared about the importance of addressing the problem of tobacco product waste. The event was held in Campbell’s Council District. Initial collection events will soon begin in her district before moving to other San Diego areas and cities countywide.
Lori R. Mendez, Esq. and Mark O’Connor represented San Diego Surfriders with an important message about the hazards of tobacco product waste and a visual reminder of how prevalent cigarette butts are in beach cleanups worldwide. SDSU’s Professor Emeritus of Public Health and CEO of the non-profit Cigarette Butt Pollution Project Dr. Thomas Novotny emphasized the health hazards, general nuisance, and economic impact of the tobacco waste. Lead Researcher and Professor of Psychology Dr. Georg E. Matt described the study as the first of its magnitude and stated that he is looking forward to working with the community and government officials to obtain practical, affordable, and effective solutions. Co-Investigator Dr. Lydia Greiner introduced team members Jessica Pugel and Rebeca Jimenez as they followed specific protocols while providing a demonstration of the detailed collection process.
Also joining the event for support were Jordan Beane, Director of Communications for Council President Campbell’s office; Richard Miller, President of the local chapter of the Sierra Club; Andrew J. Feaster, Senior Advisor of Public Policy and Equitable Reform from County Supervisor Nora Vargas’ office, and Evlyn Andrade, Advisor on Land Use, Climate, and Environmental Justice from County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s office.
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