We are constantly told how bad cigarettes are for our health, but did you know that they are also incredibly bad for the environment? Vaping offers a sustainable and viable alternative without the same damage to the planet.
Tobacco Production
In order to produce cigarettes, manufacturers must have the cultivation of tobacco crops, and this leads to deforestation. Smoking cigarettes also creates pollution in the air, but it doesn’t stop there. Tobacco crops are incredibly water intensive; each cigarette smoked required around 10 L of water in the growth and production process, and out of all the crops we produce for food and other uses, this is one of the most draining on our water supplies. If you look at the liquids which are used in most vapes, you will find they are made of propylene glycol, vegetable glycol, nicotine, and flavourings. They may also use a little bit of water, but compared to cigarettes, hardly anything at all.
Waste and Litter
Cigarettes also create a lot of waste. Everywhere you go, you will see discarded cigarette butts, and it is fair to say that they are one of the most prevalent litter sources on the streets, beaches, walkways, and more. As this is part of the cigarette that is never meant to be something consumed by the user, they are made from a form of plastic called cellulose acetate. We already know that plastic is one of the most environmentally unfriendly products, and these cigarette ends will take around 10 to 15 years before they break down. Estimates suggest that every single minute of the day, 2.3 million cigarette butts will be thrown down, adding to the litter. In contrast, many vapes are reusable, but even disposable ones can be thrown away in a more responsible manner. Some disposable Vapes are almost completely recyclable once the E-liquid is used up.
ABetter Choice for the Planet
Vaping is better for health, as you can adjust the amount of nicotine that you are inhaling. The aim is to reduce it to 0, which equates to stopping smoking. The more people switch to vaping as opposed to cigarettes, the less demand they will be. In turn, this means that the overall damage to the environment will start to go down as fewer cigarettes will be made. Of course, as we also mentioned earlier, cigarette smoke releases all sorts of nasty chemicals into the air. Passive smoking has caused health issues as serious as those seen in smokers themselves, and many people are not tolerant of smokers nearby, with good reason. It can also cause issues for people who suffer from asthma, and other breathing-related conditions.
The primary problem with cigarettes is carcinogens or cancer-causing chemicals, and vaping just does not produce these. The clouds of smoke from vaping are much more innocent and do not have any health threats. The emissions they cause are not known to damage the environment in any way and are much safer for anyone who happens to breathe in passive vaping smoke. So not only is vaping a good health choice, but it’s also beneficial for the environment.