How the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo is actually helping in cleaning up London

Fans voting for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo using cigarette butts

The rivalry between FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo is a fine example of how sports can have a massive impact on our society. The debate over who is better between the two is being used to help minimise the littering of the streets of London with cigarette butts!

In what has proven to be an innovative campaign so far, Hubbub has made an attempt to reduce littering by encouraging smokers to disposing of their cigarette butts in these large boxes that can be seen around Central London. While doing so, they could be taking sides with either Messi or Ronaldo, thus becoming part of one of football’s most debatable questions of all time: Who is the best player in the world right now?

We're asking ppl to vote with their butts to tackle #litter. Is @Cristiano @realmadrid really the best? #football pic.twitter.com/zbrBUq6KXs

— Hubbub (@hubbubUK) August 27, 2015

“Our public polling discovered that a staggering 86 per cent of people think littering is a disgusting habit yet only 15 percent of us would actually confront someone and tell them that. 'Taking pride of the areas we live and work helps to build better communities and save money,” reads a statement.

“This is why from May to October we're trialling a new approach to tackling littering on Villiers Street, Westminster, using the latest thinking on behaviour change and awareness raising from around the world.”

Hubbub change their questions each week, and so far it seems to be working out well for both the the company and London.

#Ashes for ashes - people are placing their bets with their butts! #cricket #theashes #cigarettes #litter #fifthtest pic.twitter.com/u9Dt109zC1

— Hubbub (@hubbubUK) August 20, 2015

Who'll win Saturday's London Derby? @CPFC or @Arsenal ? We're asking ppl to vote with butts! #NeatStreets #litter pic.twitter.com/nFXept8DCB

— Hubbub (@hubbubUK) August 12, 2015

Vote with #cigarette #litter! Would you prefer to watch the #grandprix or #usopen #tennis? #NeatStreets #Embankment pic.twitter.com/AoZsyORkgr

— Hubbub (@hubbubUK) September 1, 2015

The only concern that could come out of this unique initiative is people smoking up more just to fill in the boxes to make sure that it is their favourite footballer who wins the poll. We can totally imagine a Lionel Messi fanboy taking one for the Argentine superstar, or a Ronaldo devotee going all out for the Portuguese miracle man!