Mini-ashtrays and campaign for responsible disposal of cigarette butts were tested at Varjo-festival

Mini-ashtrays made from empty blood sugar strip cans by Zero Waste Finland were tested at the Varjo-festival held in august. In addition, Mulperimedia campaigned at festivals and on social media for responsible disposal of cigarette butts. Both innovations aim to meet the challenge of the Varjo-festival: “Cigarette butts out of nature.”

According to the visitor survey conducted by the festival, half of the respondents had seen the materials of the responsibility campaign on social media and about 10% at the festival. Seven percent of the respondents had tried the mini ashtray, and planned to continue using it even after the festivals. Considering the relatively small number of shared mini-ashtrays, the numbers can be considered good.

Henna Rautio did a thesis on the innovation testing as part of her studies in Cultural Production at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. The main goal of the work was to find out how well the combination of two different innovations succeeded:

“Based on the results, the innovation testings carried out was successful and the combination of innovations produced a better result than one innovation would have produced. Based on the visitor survey, a small part of pocket ashtray users also continued to dispose cigarette butts responsibly after the event.”

The thesis can be read here: https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/784894