One major issue in modern life is undoubtedly environmental pollution. There are various sources of pollution, but one particularly significant problem, especially in city centres, is cigarette butt litter. Cigarette butt disposal poses a significant challenge for local authorities tasked with maintaining clean streets.

The Nudge Theory offers a potential solution to this problem. Nudge Theory is supported by a broad spectrum of topics such as retirement and insurance choices, health, education, energy consumption, nutrition, marketing, social issues, etc. In addition to the areas where Nudge Theory is applied, social issues such as environmental conservation and maintaining clean streets can also be connected to the areas where Nudge Theory is applied. As mentioned above, disposing of cigarette butts is very important in two senses: cost and environmental pollution. We know that traditional methods such as punishment, urging, or giving information are not so effective in solving environmental problems. Such many areas of Nudge Theory can be applied to solve this problem too.

In this research, we applied the theory in Çanakkale, Türkiye, by designing a specific experimental setup. The data collection period was from December 15, 2023, to February 12, 2024. The data collection methodology is directly observed on Fetvane Street in Çanakkale (Türkiye). During observation, the people who litter cigarette butts are divided into two groups: the first group includes individuals who pass through the street and dispose of cigarette butts on the experiment area ground and/or in the box. The second group comprises customers of the Sestra Pub who occasionally step outside for smoking, discarding cigarette butts onto the experiment area ground and/or into the box.Despite the presence of a fixed ashtray in front of the pub, we do not count the number of butts deposited in the ashtray.

To nudge people for cigarette butt disposal in Çanakkale (Türkiye) is definitely profitable, which reduces cigarette butts on the ground by 75%. This is a very basic calculation, and we should calculate the environmental impact too.Our research results coincide with (Ioan et al. (2016), who found that this research experiment design has similarities to our research. Regarding this research, the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu’s 2 m2 student dormitory has been chosen as the experiment area, and we have settled on a similar type of box. The researchers report positive results in favour of nudging (86.2%) less cigarette butts on the ground. We can recommend to Çanakkale Municipality (Türkiye) to nudge people not only cigarette butts but also other littering with using specifically created dustbins. Especially, schools could be good experiment areas for school authorities and local municipalities. On the other hand, universities can also apply the same methodology to keep their campuses clean.