By Hilary Harris
The beautiful sunny days are appearing more frequently, and so is the cigarette smoke in the air. The signs around the school say, “No Smoking Beyond This Point” and once you walk pass that point you see “Thank You For Not Smoking”. But are students following the signs? Take a walk outside and look down. The evidence is everywhere on the ground. The college does its best to keep the areas clean, but the smokers out number the maintenance crew.
According to the Facilities Coordinator of Facilities and Operations, Nancy Martinez, “Smoking urns are available in all designated smoking areas. In addition, urns are placed at major walkways leading from parking lots to campus.” There’s area’s for the cigarette butts to be disposed of, but many smokers are still managing to get the remainders of their cigarettes anywhere but in the urns.
When asked what her thoughts were on the sight of cigarette butts on the ground, Martinez responded, “I consider any form of littering to be unattractive and strongly encourage people to utilize trash receptacles and cigarette urns for their disposal needs. I believe we all play a role in keeping our environment clean and safe for all to enjoy.”
In spite of smoking urns being conveniently placed around the school, many smokers still throw their butts on the ground.
In the college’s No Body Told Me Book it briefly states, “Consistent with state of Colorado statute, smoking is NOT PERMITED in any PPCC building or within 15 feet of any entryway to any facility or building on campus. In addition, smoking is prohibited except in designated areas.”
According to one source, smoking areas were created to keep the smoke away from the doorways and furniture. Students don’t have to smoke in the designated smoking areas, but if they aren’t then they’re probably violating the Colorado statute.
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