Where to stick your gum ...

[Paul mabbott]

Something has been worrying me ... over the last few months, I've noticed ashtrays in pubs filling up with gum. In a few weeks, there will be more people chewing gum and ... no ashtrays Where will people put their gum when all the flavour has gone?

Ought we to be buying shares in carpet-cleaning companies ....

[Fourwings]

On the pavement/floor most probably!

The next time you are in any town/city try looking down at the pavement on which you are walking, in some places the paving slabs are fast disappearing under a layer of disguarded chewing gum - its foul & disgusting to say the least!

And where are all these new litter wardens when its being dropped/spat out? they are far too busy nicking toddlers for dropping potato crisps

[demicav]

It's all over the pavements and street lights as well. Disgusting !

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

On the pavement/floor most probably!

The next time you are in any town/city try looking down at the pavement on which you are walking, in some places the paving slabs are fast disappearing under a layer of disguarded chewing gum - its foul & disgusting to say the least!

And where are all these new litter wardens when its being dropped/spat out? they are far too busy nicking toddlers for dropping potato crisps

I'm amazed by how much some councils spend removing gum from streets. Can't say that I like it but wouldn't it all eventually spread out into a protective coating?

But it is a serious problem - and no one seems to have given thought to how people might cleanly dispose of their gum.

Is it biodegradable, incidentally?

[honeybee]

We have those chewing gum posts in town centre I think (or seen them somewhere) where you stick it instead of spitting on floor...something I would never dream of doing, aren't people disgusting. You get fined as if it were litter too. Horrible for your dog if it gets stuck on their paw not to mention getting it stuck on your shoe.

As Paul says, with the smoking bans coming in, they'll be no ashtrays and everyone chewing nicorette.

I think it must biodegrade eventually.

[Fourwings]

Originally Posted by honeybee

I think it must biodegrade eventually.

I have a feeling that it takes a very long time looking at the UK's pavements, either that or there is tons of the stuff being chewed and spat out every day

They have special bins for Dog excrement so why not Gum? just a thought

[agrumpycow]

I feel there's a lack of public bins in general, at least around here. Unfortunately where there are bins they seems to be a target for bored, teen, firelighters.
I'm a smoker and have no problems with the smoking ban - I don't feel I have a right to light up whenever and wherever I like and who knows, it may even help me to stop (properly - I've 'given up' many times in the last few years ) However, I've got a nasty feeling this topic will be in the news a lot over the next few months and I can see smoker's being blamed for dropped gum even tho it's been a problem for years.

[Gaina]

There's a place called Pike Place Market in Seattle where the theatre-goers stick their gum and it looks like a piece of modern art - some people have gone to quite a bit of trouble to make their gum creations! Just google 'Seattle Pike Place Market' and 'gum' and you should get some images

[peppermint]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Something has been worrying me ... over the last few months, I've noticed ashtrays in pubs filling up with gum. In a few weeks, there will be more people chewing gum and ... no ashtrays Where will people put their gum when all the flavour has gone?

Ought we to be buying shares in carpet-cleaning companies ....

no doubt, like in school, it will all end up stuck underneath the tables, so when you put your hands under the table, you will be putting them into peoples gum. lovely

[thunder]

Quote
We have those chewing gum posts in town centre I think (or seen them somewhere) where you stick it instead of spitting on floor...
Endquote

Yes, didn't I hear that they have pictures of people on them - a quick way of doing an opinion poll if say Brown gets covered more quickly than Cameron.

henrya

[agrumpycow]

Originally Posted by thunder

Yes, didn't I hear that they have pictures of people on them - a quick way of doing an opinion poll if say Brown gets covered more quickly than Cameron.
henrya

hehe, now I like that idea, I'd no doubt increase the numbers who vote

[peppermint]

Originally Posted by agrumpycow

hehe, now I like that idea, I'd no doubt increase the numbers who vote

i dont normally chew chewing gum, but for this i would make an exception and go all out!

[galanthus]

When I was quite small I used to scrape the gum off the road and eat it, complete with grit and dirt where it had been run over by cars and buses. Am so ashamed lol I like to think of it as an early indication of my love of recycling.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by galanthus

When I was quite small I used to scrape the gum off the road and eat it, complete with grit and dirt where it had been run over by cars and buses. Am so ashamed lol I like to think of it as an early indication of my love of recycling.

Well perhaps there are people who would like our hoarded old gum ... the mind boggles.

[agrumpycow]

Originally Posted by galanthus

When I was quite small I used to scrape the gum off the road and eat it, complete with grit and dirt where it had been run over by cars and buses. Am so ashamed lol I like to think of it as an early indication of my love of recycling.

Ever thought there are some things you shouldn't own up to ......

[Cotham Marble]

[quote=Is it biodegradable, incidentally? [/QUOTE]

Certainly not the bulk of gum on the market which is based on a petrochemical derivative - effectively it is a form of plastic. Eventually the chemical 'strings' that cause the gum to stay as a single mass, break down and the whole thing ends up as a powder - takes about two years I think. I suspect that environmentally the municipal approach to a cure - endless chemical or mechanical cleaning - is worse than the disease but perhaps it's time to put a tax on gum on the 'polluter pays' principle.

CM

[Stewy]

Ben's chewing gum art, and one sculpture - a photoset on Flickr

[Gaina]

Originally Posted by agrumpycow

hehe, now I like that idea, I'd no doubt increase the numbers who vote

Gum is too good for both of those jokers....cat poo, on the other hand....

[svenrufus]

I feel we need to genetically modify pigeons to eat the gum off pavements. This way the loons that scatter perfectly good food for them can rest easy and give the loaf to someone who needs it.

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by galanthus

When I was quite small I used to scrape the gum off the road and eat it, complete with grit and dirt where it had been run over by cars and buses. Am so ashamed lol I like to think of it as an early indication of my love of recycling.

Oh yuk!

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by svenrufus

I feel we need to genetically modify pigeons to eat the gum off pavements. This way the loons that scatter perfectly good food for them can rest easy and give the loaf to someone who needs it.

yes we'd probably be knee deep in crisps, chips, burgers and kebabs if it wasn't for the pigeons.

[peppermint]

Originally Posted by galanthus

When I was quite small I used to scrape the gum off the road and eat it, complete with grit and dirt where it had been run over by cars and buses. Am so ashamed lol I like to think of it as an early indication of my love of recycling.

lol. I remember my sister doing similar things, not sure if it went as far as gum, but certainly random unwrapped sweets she came across.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by peppermint

lol. I remember my sister doing similar things, not sure if it went as far as gum, but certainly random unwrapped sweets she came across.

Partly off-topic - where have you got to in Canada?
.... how do they deal with their gum?

[peppermint]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Partly off-topic - where have you got to in Canada?
.... how do they deal with their gum?

well, i have travelled from the west coast to the east coast, over the course of a year. Been to loads of places, too many to mention. All the major cities and countryside inbetween including Vancouver Island, which is absolutley beautiful, Rocky Mountains - my favourite place we visited, 1000 Islands about 3 hours north of Toronto, such a beautiful area. Worked in Canada Olympic Park in Calgary over the winter, where the 1988 winter olympics were held, so got to learn to snowboard and go on the bobsleigh - my husband went on the skeleton (head first on a tiny sled). Now in Halifax. We are flying home tuesday. Looking forward to it.

As for the chewing gum issue, its not as big a problem in my opinion as in the UK although, it is a problem. I just dont see that much of it covering streets like in UK cities. Maybe there is a secret chewing gum cleaning force out every night??? I did try to look up how they deal with it here, just a quick google, but didnt find much at all.