Perhaps, you’ve wondered just what kind of person would spit gum on the pavement, or perhaps, with no bin in sight, you’ve subtly spat out a wad of Wrigley’s, hoping that no one was around to see. Either way, it’s likely you’ve become desensitised to the amount of gum on our streets, and rarely think about the implications this holds.
Gum is made from synthetic rubber, using high energy and crude oil, and once it has been made takes hundreds of years to decompose. Knowing this, maybe it’s up to us as individuals to change our habits? However, we’ve become so used to disassociating from the environmental effects of our actions, that there seems to be little incentive to stop chewing gum.
Surely, there should be some government responsibility taken? If gum isn’t presented as a problem, then how can we be expected to view it as one?
Whoever is to blame, let’s stop walking over this issue, and instead view gum on the pavement as a representation of the long-lasting effects we have on the environment. For, how can we make real positive environmental change, if we fail to realise the environmental implications of our small and everyday actions?
Maddie Oliver
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