BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - An artistic effort is underway to help keep downtown streets free of cigarette butts.

The Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Committee gave away artistic cigarette butt containers.

Cigarette butts on downtown streets have caused problems for quite some time. Friday 50 hand-painted containers were given to local business owners with a special touch from the art community.

"I think one of the ugliest things you can see is one of these cigarette butts on the ground," said Johnnie Sue Baillie, local artist.

Many business owners said, if you take time to notice, you don't have to go far before you find a discarded cigarette butt on the street, sidewalk or snugg led in between the cracks.

Baillie is one of the many local artist donated their time to paint the containers. She is grateful to use her talents for such a good cause.

"Life is good, give me a paint brush and some paint and I'm happy," said Baillie.

However she is not the only one who is happy, Business owners are thankful for the proactive effort to help keep the streets clean.

"I'm sure it will help downtown immensely. Anything they can do to help clean it up, I'm all for it," said Curtis Conway, business owner.

This project is in partnership with the anti-litter campaign "Litter: It's Beneath Us" and the Bakersfield Downtown Business Association. The Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Committee is providing receptacles for free, thanks to grants from The Bakersfield Californian Foundation and the Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.

"We just wanted to make it as easy as possible and as fun as possible to help prevent litter downtown," said Jessica Felix of Bakersfield Solid Waste Division.

The mission of Keep Bakersfield Beautiful is to engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community.