Smokers' Outposts offer students new butt receptacle

Physical Plant Director Gene Matthews is worried that the latest weapon in the plant's fight against litter will be the butt of campus jokes.

"It does look rather phallic," Matthews said, motioning to the Smokers Outpost. The Outpost, a $70 gray pole, is at the cutting edge of anti-butt technology. Matthews and his men have embarked on a campaign to plant the poles everywhere smokers congregate.

"We have an on-going problem on this campus," Matthews said. "It seems a shame that in addition to all the work the grounds guys do they have to pick up butts."

The buildings and grounds workers responsible for keeping the campus butt-free are armed with $600 VacPacks. The futuristic backpacks slurp up the offending butts, as well as gravel and garbage that clog the vacuum tubes. Matthews is sure the solution is the Smokers Outpost.

"All it takes is two seconds," Matthews exclaimed, demonstrating how the butt can be held between thumb and forefinger and slipped neatly into the receptacle. "We've tried butt kits, we've tried urns. If this works, we'll flood the campus with them."

"Those horrific looking things?" said smoker first-year Christian Potter of the Outposts.

Potter is a resident of Fairchild House, a dorm infamous among grounds workers charged with cleaning up butts. The front entryway is swamped with discarded butts.

"I usually flick mine," Potter said. "There's no butt holders anywhere. We always discuss it, because what else is there to do when you're smoking?"

Potter is convinced the posts could only help. Groundsworker Tony Scott doesn't share his enthusiasm.

Scott has worked at Oberlin for 10 years. In 1994, the College approved a policy prohibiting smoking indoors. Stray cigarette butts have proliferated since then, substantially increasing Scott's workload.

"I could spend 40 hours a week picking up butts," Scott said. Scott usually devotes one hour a week to clearing the campus of butts. He has developed an intricate bagging system to make the task easier. Asked if the Outpost would help, Scott said, "No. You can put it in their face, but you really need to put it in their head."

Scott, a smoker, said the ideal butt collector would be a giant sandbox, if only the danger of open fire could be eliminated. Matthews hailed the advantages of the Outpost; a lit cigarette can safely travel down the pole.

One of the first Outposts to appear on campus stood on Mudd ramp, where smoking is expressly prohibited. The post migrated up and down the ramp, and finally settled at the ramp's base.

"It's light and portable," Acting Director of Libraries Alan Boyd said. "But I prefer to keep them off the ramp."

Potter is eagerly awaiting the appearance of an Outpost at Fairchild.

"The sooner the better," Potter said.

(top) Smoke gets in your lungs: Smokers crowd the entrance to King Building before class. (photo by Laren Rusin)

(middle) No ifs, ands or butts about it: The new Smokers' Outposts are meant to be used as a receptacle for cigarette filters (photo by Zach Fried)

(bottom) Butting in: Faculty and Administrators have placed reminders of the new smoking policy outside of College Buildings. (photo by Zach Fried)