A homeowner in Winnipeg, Canada, recently took to Reddit for advice about an unruly neighbor on their block. 

"More than 8 people in one house, too noisy in the evening and throws cigarettes litters everywhere," they shared. "Our house is 3 houses away from them but the litters still goes in front of our yard."

They asked in the post: "Do you have a good way to address this issue?"

The r/Winnipeg subreddit had plenty of ideas on how to deal with these neighbors. Some were more practical, with one writing, "If they seem nice I would try to reach to them and ask nicely." Another suggested revenge: "Collect them and dump them back on their yard."

While cigarette butts are quite gross to look at, they also pose significant environmental risks. In more urban areas, discarded cigarettes contribute to stormwater pollution, introduce toxins into waterways and degrade natural resources.

The Environmental Protection Agency said that every month Los Angeles County residents drop nearly 1 million cigarette butts in streets and parks, toss over 800,000 pieces of trash on the ground, and dog owners fail to pick up their pets' feces over 80,000 times — all of which impacts stormwater pollution which deteriorates marine life and their habitats. 

This, in turn, can contribute to toxic chemicals ending up back in our food chain. If the cigarette butts didn't bother you before, they will when they end up in your food.

It's tough dealing with neighbors who don't have respect for the community or the environment. From illegal dumping to invasive plants, there are plenty of horror stories from bad neighbors to go around.

Addressing these challenges requires open communication. Establishing a rapport with neighbors and landlords can be beneficial when bringing up concerns. In cases where direct dialogue fails, make sure to document everything and involve the authorities when necessary.

Respecting your neighbors isn't hard, and neither is using an ashtray. If we all did our part, the planet — and our front yards — would be a lot better off.

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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