Big Red, Double Bubble, Hubba Bubba. I'm sure you've all guessed the connection by now. They're all brands of gum! In 2012, 374 trillion sticks of chewing gum was produced, and over 100 000 tonnes of chewing gum was consumed.
Now, where do you think all of this gum ends up at the end of the day? I'll give you three guesses, and the first two don't count. Back in the wrapper? Alright, I can accept that. In the garbage? Ha, don't make me laugh. How about on the ground? Now you've got it! Where are your sources, you ask? How do you know this, I hear you saying? Look at the sidewalk! Those disfigured, round, dark 'spots' on every sidewalk and road in the world are my sources. You see it everywhere you go, especially in large cities. People are enjoying their quaint Sunday afternoon in the local market of the city. Strollers are gliding by with parents ecstatic to introduce their offspring to the various wonders of the world. Attempting to cross the street, you peer to your left and find the gentleman beside you carelessly spitting his piece of gum on the ground, awaiting the next passerby to transport it on the bottom of their shoes.
That piece of gum is now out of your mind, never to return to your consciousness until the next piece is being unwrapped. What's the problem with this? Well, gum doesn't die. That is to say, gum is NOT biodegradable. That piece of gum you spit out 5, 10, 15 years ago is still occupying that space on the sidewalk, continuously being trampled upon. I'm not advocating human rights upon pieces of gum. I'm advocating environmental rights. Try and picture 100 000 tonnes of gum scattered all over the world, occupying various terrains and land masses. That's right, you can't. You can't conceive what 100 000 tonnes of gum is, it's just too much! Now, multiply that by your age. In my case, that comes to 2.5 million tonnes of gum being tossed into our soil, water reserves, filtration systems, land masses, and so forth. I hear you saying, "if 100 000 tonnes of gum is consumed per year, then your equation above assumes that all gum consumed is being thrown on the ground". Technically, yes I am. Where does garbage go? To a landfill. Where does loose pieces of gum end up? In our sewer systems. So, yes, all gum consumed will eventually be sitting somewhere on this planet, never to disintegrate.
"Fine, I'll humor you. Gum is stupidly bad for our environment, but as long as a market is available for it, gum will continue to sell. So, what do we do about it?"
The easiest thing you could about it, you can begin today: chew a piece longer, chew less pieces, or don't chew at all. In no way does that solve or even patch the problem, but it will help in the short-term. There are several companies currently working on developing soluble, removable, and degradable gum for consumers. There are some companies who have already developed this, including Revolymer and Chicza Mayan Rainforest Gum. Unfortunately, Revolymer has just recently pulled out of America. It is available if your'e willing to order it from the UK. Chicza is a little more accessible, but not by much. You can purchase Chizca on Amazon, or if you ever make a trip to the US, it is accessible in many whole food shops and cafes.
Why not try some alternative? Try using mints. They come in the same flavours and intensities, and there's no waste after! Have you ever tried just chewing on mint leaves? That's also a great idea, especially as you get all natural flavours without preservatives and sugars.
Source: Reza Kashkoee - http://golmangoli.blogfa.com/8902.aspx
This is the "world's most dirty attraction", The Wall of Gum at Seattle's Market Theatre.Sources
http://www.statisticbrain.com/chewing-gum-statistics/
http://www.examiner.com/article/most-chewing-gum-is-chewing-poison-here-s-a-better-alternative
http://www.confectionerynews.com/Ingredients/Scientists-develop-biodegradable-non-sticky-chewing-gum-using-cereal-proteins
http://www.confectionerynews.com/Manufacturers/Rev7-branded-degradable-gum-exits-US-as-maker-seeks-licensees
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