The Hold On To Your Butt (HOTYB) program aims to raise awareness about the environmental impact of cigarette butt litter on our oceans, waves and beaches, and to help eliminate cigarette butt litter in Ventura and beyond.
Our program is heavily focused on the installation of ashcans, recycling of cigarette butts, and collection of cigarette waste at monthly beach clean ups. Cigarette butts accounted for 59% of litter items collected at our beach clean ups in 2016 and continue to be the most prevalent litter picked up during our beach clean ups. On average, 3,500+ butts are collected at these clean ups each month. Often littered on our sidewalks and streets, they end up in our storm drains and ultimately the ocean. We began installing ashcans with the help of partners and sponsors in late 2016. As of July 2023, there are ashcans located in Ventura (88), Oxnard (10) and Port Hueneme (21). Thank you to our partners and sponsors (listed at the bottom of the page) that have made this possible. If you’re interesting in volunteering in our HOTYB program please shoot an email to julimarciel@gmail.com to get involved today!
Community ashcans reduce cigarette butt litter and improve the quality of business districts for residents and visitors. The ashcans are affixed above the ground in high foot-traffic locations. All cigarette butts collected in the ashcans are recycled.
Your business, organization or family can become a “local partner” by sponsoring a Community Ash Can and immediately improve our community. Your sponsorship will help reduce the impact of cigarette butt litter on our oceans, waves, and beaches. You will be recognized on Surfrider Foundation’s website and through other media outlets for your contribution to our community.
All of the cigarette butts that are collected in our ashcans and at our beach clean ups are recycled. We ship our cigarette waste to the recycler where the butts are melted into hard plastic that can be molded to make new recycled industrial products like the bench pictured to the left located on Ventura Promenade
COMMUNITY-SPONSORED ASH CANS
THANK YOU!
HUGE thanks to the following businesses and community members for sponsoring ash cans and helping us keep toxic cigarette butt litter off of our streets, out of our storm drains, and ultimately out of our ocean. Click on the logos below to navigate and explore these businesses.
Thank you to our Hold On To Your Butt Ashcan Sponsors: