The World's Most Eco-Friendly Ashtray
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 02.22.08
Well that's what they told us. We can, of course, get in a big discussion about how smoking down a fag is a big no-no in oh so many ways (health, the environment, dear TreeHugger!), but we assume you already know this. The portable Boodi Eco Ashtray is made of recycled, recyclable, and bio-degradable materials. It is also made via ethical local production (local to the firm's office in the U.K.), according to Tony Jones, the man behind the patent-pending invention.
Jones came up with the Boodi to give smokers an environmentally-conscious alternative to virtually indestructible plastic ashtrays, which often end up in landfills. The Boodi snuffs out up to five cigarettes at once, via internal tubes. When the butt is inserted into the tube, it immediately runs out of oxygen--and goes out.
The Boodi should be recycled with cardboard waste, but if it does end up in a landfill, it easily breaks down. And thanks to its portability, you can bring it to places like the beach.
"It is also very safe and easy to use--it can be opened with one hand--and is one of the smallest portable ashtrays in the world," says Jones.
Jones also offers Boodi branding, it can be stamped with a company logo and used for corporate functions. So far, it is a hit with the forest industry. Clients include the Forestry Commission of England. ::Boodi Also see ::Ban the Butt ::Those Burnt Out Smokin' Butts ::Smoking: Environmental and Social Impacts ::ALMOST: Klop Filtering Ashtray ::Reused Paper Waste Bin from 366cm
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Cool, it would be nice if you get something like this to fold out of the fag packet itself.
The disgusting smell of used butts might help me give up quicker!
V handy! I bought some a couple of weeks ago and they are soooo useful. have also recycled the ones I've used!
I bought some of these and they are really useful. They extinguish the cigarette immediately and enclose the smell without making a mess of your pockets, cool graphics too!
My daughter uses the gum pouch too which is a similar idea for gum chewers.
Doesn't it make more sense to use a clay ashtray that can extinguish thousands of cigarettes rather than a a small disposable "ashtray" that can only extinguish 5? It doesn't even seem to serve one of the primary functions of an ashtray (collecting ashes), it's more of a butt-tray.
This is great in regards to preventing cigarette butts going all over the place but inside this thing the butts still take up to 15 years to break down in a landfill... and actually I don't recall anyone ever saying it was okay to put them in the paper recycling.
Some more info here: http://www.cigarettelitter.org/index.asp?PageName=Facts
I don't ever feel that we do enough for our enviroment and was very happy to find a clean, low cost and easy to use ashtray that I can take anywhere. Nice to know there are inventors out there who think green and not pound signs.
The boodi is reusable - not just for 5 cigarettes. It can be emptied and reused!
Don't you think a clay ashtray would be a little on the HEAVY side and not particularly portable?! ;)
The boodi is a portable ashtray, made for people who need to use it while on the move, in the countryside, on the beach or at a festival. That's why it's lightweight and easy to use.
Portability is key to the success of the boodi. Well, that and the fact that it can be recycled into other things... perhaps even more boodi eco-ashtrays!!!
The boodi is reusable - not just for 5 cigarettes. It can be emptied and reused!
Don't you think a clay ashtray would be a little on the HEAVY side and not particularly portable?! ;)
The boodi is a portable ashtray, made for people who need to use it while on the move, in the countryside, on the beach or at a festival. That's why it's lightweight and easy to use.
Portability is key to the success of the boodi. Well, that and the fact that it can be recycled into other things... perhaps even more boodi eco-ashtrays!!!
How about just, not smoking?
That would help the environment greatly!
- No more production of cigarettes, ashtrays, disposable lighters, plus packaging
- greater health for the people around you
- greater health for yourself, although you probably don't consider that much of a risk if you smoke anyway :)
- no more cigarette buts all over the place
I think the idea here is that the extinguished cigarettes are sensibly removed before recycling the boodi with other cardboard waste!
As a smoker I agree with 'Mick' - it is good to see an invention that helps smokers to help the environment. The problem with plastic portable ashtrays is that once they're finished with they cannot be recycled.
In 2006 ENCAMS - the environmental campaigns org - in England gave away 250,000 plastic ashtrays with foil linings. All quarter of a million of these will now be in landfill. That's a worry for me.
I think the boodi is a big leap forward.
Great idea. I hate to see butts all over the floor in doorways etc.
You should really hve a look at a company called ButtLess. Their website is www.buttless.org and their product is fantastic. The website shows just how small the unit is and it is completely airtight and dishwasher friendly too. What I like about it is manufacturers tend to sponsor a few thousand of them and give them away as promotional gifts.
Of course it would be nice if the whole world stopped smoking but that will never happen so lets looks at the solutions. have alook at the colours as well, they seem to have covered the fact that females smoke as well and offer colours that are trendy.
Mr ButtLess, do we really need another ashtray that is made from oil-based plastic, is NOT recyclable, NOT degradable and just adds to the landfill problems?
These little plastic ButtLess things are probably made in China. Are they made ethically? Can you prove there are no human rights issues with their manufacture?
China is 6,000 miles away from England. And you import to England. How big is your carbon footprint?
It's time organizations considered THEIR impact on the environment and stop putting PROFIT before the well-being of our PLANET.
From what I've read, it seems that the people at Boodi are making a positive impact. And I for one support them for that.
Bring on the eco-revolution!
Are you people telling me you would rather have the millions of people around the world who can no longer smoke inside go outside for a cigarette or two and dispose of them in the gutter, on the sidewalk, in the potted plants, instead of using a reusable recycled plastic product that they can carry their butts in for proper disposal. Billions of cigarettes are disposed of world wide everyday, one cigarette distroys 8 litres of water if you want to talk about enviromental damage why dont we start with the pollution of our fresh water. Cigarette pollution is one of the worst problems on the planet the toxins in each filter, which take up to a decade to decompose by the way, is polluting all of our water systems so if you so worried about toxic material why dont you worry about this problem instead of a recycled reusable product that will in the long run do more good than bad .