On our summer camping trip in Yosemite my family and I were excited to get what appeared to be an excellent campsite at the Crane Flat Campground.  It was a large site on the edge of the meadow with lots of large rock formations for privacy and rock climbing.  While scouring the site to determine the best spot to pitch the tent I noticed several large clusters of cigarette butts.  There were literally thousands of cigarette butts throughout the campsite. My excitement turned to anger as I realized we would basically be camping in an ashtray.  Why do smokers so self-servingly disrespect others and nature?

My first day back from Yosemite on the way to work I stopped behind another car for a red light.  After the light turned green the driver dropped her cigarette out the window and sped away.  I thought about picking it up and following her to her destination.  And giving it back to her letting her know that she dropped it.

On a recent trip to Kauai, my son and I went to play a little football on the beach.  After being tackled on the first play I found myself face down in a pile of sand and cigarette butts.  This continued for the rest of the game.  They were everywhere.  I wondered if somehow it was the same a**hole(s) that preceeded us in Yosemite.

Why do smokers feel they have the right to litter?  Do you think anyone, even these same smokers, would be so careless with any other form of trash?  Why does society let smokers treat the planet like an ashtray?