COM 0942.087 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Laura Triantos Andersen Hualalai Academy Testimony- February 21, 2008 MR;§M Support for Resolution Banning Smoking at all Beaches and Parks I support the ban on smoking at all beaches and parks because protecting the environment is important to me. This ban is needed to protect the environment and the people who frequent the beaches and parks. Cigarettes are toxic to all living things. There are at least 60 known human carcinogens in cigarettes. That means that cigarettes are poisonous to people and marine life, animals, birds, etc. I was a member of the West Hawaii Youth Fisheries Council which initiated the ban on smoking at Kahalu'u Beach Park. I testified at five council and committee meetings over the last two years to help get the smoking ban passed. We collected over 200 signatures on a petition to ban smoking at Kahalu'u. Almost everyone we asked agreed to sign the petition. I researched the effects of chemicals in cigarette butts on crustaceans for my science project in 2006. My science project was titled "Ghost Crabs and Cigarette Butts" and I did tests at Kahalu'u Beach Park and the Old Airport Beach Park. I did tests to find out if there was a relationship between the number of cigarette butts and the number of ghost crabs at the beaches. There was a significant negative correlation, meaning there are less ghost crabs where then are more cigarette butts. My experiment showed that not putting your cigarette butts in an ashtray is hurting the beaches' ecosystem. Cigarette butts are one of the most common items found in beach clean-ups, accounting for at least 20-40% of what's found. Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate which can take up to 15 years to degrade. Our beaches and parks should not be used as ashtrays, because in addition to being disgusting, it is harmful to marine life as well as people. Please pass the ban on smoking at beaches and parks. Thank you! Comm. No. ~-a•g Ref. To: FreseahW Ref. Date FES 220