The effect of chewing gum on our society is causing a problem. Its presence causes eternal pollution and the spread of diseases and viruses. Just think about that gum you stick underneath a railing or spit out on the ground.
What is chewing gum exactly? Well, it is a food/candy that never dissolves, or should not. It is like edible rubber. I say this because it is like chewing rubber; it never goes away or dissolves. It is eternally garbage, can not be recycled and sticks to anything. Thinking on the topic of garbage, if you throw a soda can on the floor, someone could come and pick it up. Where as gum, nobody picks that up nor is it reusable. People step on it causing it to stick to the sidewalk or someone’s shoe, eventually leading to a sidewalk of pollution right under your own feet. Next time you go out, take a look at the sidewalk you walk on, I am sure there are different colored markings, mostly from chewing gum being spit out.
If throwing a tissue or soda can on the ground is pollution, why is not gum? Think about it for one second. It is not a regular food, like bread that bird or wildlife can eat. This is actually like a poison to these animals. Gum could stick to their paws and beaks and even lead to their death. Not only should spiting your gum out on the street be considered pollution but eternal pollution, because it most likely will never come up. Imagine if all those pieces of tissue and what not that people pollute this planet with had the same statute, not being able to be just picked up. What kind of world would we be living in? In gross one, similar to how our sidewalks look with all the chewing gum that people spit out.
Another thing people do not realize is gum it not reusable, nor recyclable. This means after so many years we could have mountains of used chewing gum in garbage yards, if people were to actually not spit it out on our grounds. This is ridiculous. I ask you once again think about it. It may not seem like much but all that chewing gum together could take up some decent amount of space. What a waste.
So if you don’t just spit your gum out, do you put it somewhere? Perhaps they put it under your desk or under a railing. That I am afraid to say is disgusting, and I am sure most would agree. Some people still do it though. This causes the spread of diseases as well as viruses. To start off with that edible rubber was in your mouth for how long? Then you put it under a desk, railing or ever phone booth (even though they are practically extinct with the now expansion of cell phones). Not only are you putting your gum in a place where it does not belong, but it is where someone else can touch it. As I was saying, if you have a disease or virus that you are or are not aware of, you may spread it through the pollution and misuse of gum. Once another person touches an infected piece of gum they now hold that disease or virus in their hand. If they had a cut, forget about it, they are infected. If they forget to wash their hands and eat something or put their fingers in their mouth, you have now spread t to them as well.
Some may say, I know I do not have a disease or virus, and most probably don’t. Your chewing gum can also infect people by jus being there. If it is in a place where it is easy to accidently touch it, more people will touch it. Those people may have something spreading it to others as well. Not to mention bugs and insects carrying diseases as well could come in contact with you chewing gum depending on where you stuck it.
Ok, so some may argue that they do not spit their gum out on the floor or put it under the railings, perhaps they wrap it in a paper or throw it out. I am sorry to say but wrapping it in paper, wastes the paper as well. Once you infect the once recyclable piece of paper with your chewing gum, it is hard for them to use the paper again, seeing as there is now a piece of edible rubber on it. Some may say well rubber is recyclable, yes it is, but chewing gum isn’t.
All these problems are caused from the mass production of edible rubber, also known as chewing gum. The solution to the rising epidemic of the mass pollution and spread of diseases through the use of chewing gum can be easily stopped. Just use breathe mints
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Is gum REALLY non-biodegradeable? Do you have proof? Because I'm pretty sure that sugar is the main food source for bacteria... and these bacteria break down waste products and such. Gum has sugar in it, does it not?
I may be wrong, but I'm just saying... I'm just not sure if gum is really not biodegradeable. If you had proof to back it up, I'd be less sceptical about this.
“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart ... Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” -Carl Jung
Honestly the proof that i have for this is basically word of mouth, which gives me no creditabilty. If it is biodegradeable, I am suprised. I am not too sure how it is possible to recyle chewing gum, if it is I would love to learn how it is done. Even if it could be recyled, do people take that step? If it is possible I see that being a possible thing to account for. I understand why you are sceptical. My statement shouldnt have been that is it not reusable, but is anyone taking that step to make it reusable. I guess this is my opinion but I do not think I would want something that is made from used chewing gum.
You did have a very nice argument though. I'd never thought about getting diseases from gum left under tables and stuff. It really made me think.
You should go on Google and find out if it's biodegradeable or not.
But yeah. This is really smart of you. I would never have thought that something so small and insignificant could have such a huge impact.
You know, in certain countries, it's illegal to spit on the sidewalks. If we had a law that prohibited us from spitting out gum on the sidewalks and putting it under tables and stuff, it might just cause people to dispose of it properly.
“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart ... Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” -Carl Jung