Differences in used cigarette-stubbing affordances, with the improvised niche built into the metal ledge of a waste bin outside the entrance to Milan Central train station, rather than inside the birdbath-sized dish made specifically for that purpose once one is past the ticket gates.

The human behaviors and environmental responses that occur in a place where the consequences (social, legal, or otherwise) for throwing a cigarette on the ground outweigh the stigma of placing one’s hands in close proximity to others’ used cigarettes.

Also, not sure why I’m on such an ashtray kick lately, but here are some recent Shanghainese ashtray thoughts to complement these Milanese ones.