San Lorenzo Valley streets and waterways will be cleaner and safer thanks to twelve cigarette butt disposal containers installed over the past 18 months by the Valley Women’s Club’s Environmental Committee for the SLV. Purchased with the assistance of a Watershed Education Grant from the San Lorenzo Valley Water District, and with contributions from John Schumacher of Hallcrest Vineyards, Boulder Creek 4-H, Jennifer Hennig and Linda Skeff, and other community sponsors, the receptacles are located at Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe, Junction Park, the Smoke Shop, Joe’s Bar, Jenna Su’s Café and the Coffee Connection in Boulder Creek. There is one at the Brookdale Post Office and one at Henfling’s Tavern in Ben Lomond. In Felton there is one at Don Quixote’s International Music Hall, one on the downtown sidewalks, one at the SLV Redemption/Recycling Center, and one by the Felton Laundromat.

Easy to spot, each bright red container bears the Butt Stops Here logo and a friendly cigarette butt signaling to put the butts in the container; the colorful design, created by Bonny Doon artist Stephanie Sellers Sakasai, catches the eye and hopefully motivates folks to use the receptacles.

Environmental Committee volunteers, including Michele Estrin-Gelblum and Peter Gelblum, are emptying the receptacles monthly, and taking the cigarette butts to the SLV Redemption/Recycling Center at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station.

Along with purchasing receptacles and finding partner businesses to host them, “The Butt Stops Here” campaign includes educational posters and mailers, and more information at www.thebuttstopshere.org.