Toronto Bloor Street Revitalization | ?m | ?s | Bloor-Yorkville BIA | architectsAlliance

[dt_toronto_geek]

And discarded chewing gum

I spoke too soon. Walking along Bloor today about half way between Yonge & Church on the south side there were two fellows with a machine they were pushing with a high pressure spray. I stopped to watch for a moment and they were removing gum from the granite. Impressive.

 

[condovo]

Uplights are on. Looks great. Also witnessed chewing-gum removal. The BIA seems serious about maintaining this properly. May this set the standard for upkeep everywhere.

 

[MetroMan]

How do we change society's behaviour when it comes to discarding gum and cigarette butts? It's not acceptable for somebody to throw a can of pop on the sidewalk but throwing gum seems to be ok and nobody will think twice about it.

Would adding a gum receptacle to garbage bins, accompanied by a campaign ad do the trick?

 

[adma]

How about just swallowing your gum?

 

[khris]

How do we change society's behaviour when it comes to discarding gum and cigarette butts? It's not acceptable for somebody to throw a can of pop on the sidewalk but throwing gum seems to be ok and nobody will think twice about it.

Would adding a gum receptacle to garbage bins, accompanied by a campaign ad do the trick?

People need to have pride in the city. If the city would do more to clean up the public areas and our transit system, I think there would be more respect for the city itself.

 

[indense]

How do we change society's behaviour when it comes to discarding gum and cigarette butts? It's not acceptable for somebody to throw a can of pop on the sidewalk but throwing gum seems to be ok and nobody will think twice about it.

Would adding a gum receptacle to garbage bins, accompanied by a campaign ad do the trick?

Two things that Japanese people do that I've been impressed with; they keep the wrapper for their gum and when they've finished with the gum, they put it back in the wrapper and throw it in the garbage (or if they can't find a public garbage can - THEY TAKE THEIR GARBAGE HOME) and many smokers carry a portable ashtray - usually a small tube with a screw on lid that attaches to their keychain - and they keep their butts in the tube until they can find a large ashtray to dump them in.

I'm fairly certain that Japanese people were taught to behave like this through advertising posters on Subways.

 

[MetroMan]

Well, Kristopher's point makes sense. If the streets were full of litter, people wouldn't have any problem adding to it. After all, it's just one more paper, one more soda can. If there were no cigarette butts or gum spots on sidewalks, people would think twice before being the first to dirty a pristine environment.

So perhaps, if Bloor is kept clean enough, people will be more respectful of their urban environment when there. If this could be done city wide, it's possible that it would become taboo to throw cigarette butts and gum on the sidewalks.

 

[adma]

And again: if applicable, there's always swallowing your gum. Which in practice, is more manageable than swallowing your cigarette...

 

[khris]

Two things that Japanese people do that I've been impressed with; they keep the wrapper for their gum and when they've finished with the gum, they put it back in the wrapper and throw it in the garbage (or if they can't find a public garbage can - THEY TAKE THEIR GARBAGE HOME)

I do this with my gum. It's why I don't buy gum in blister packs.
I also carry garbage in my pocket or bag until I get to a garbage can. I don't know why everyone can't do this. It infuriates me when I see parking lots at fast food restaurants littered with garbage.

 

[egotrippin]

The cops should be able to taze people who spit out gum and toss cigarette butts onto the streets. It won't take many times before they can condition people to properly discard their garbage. I'd normally think this is harsh, but it's quite evident that gum and cigarette butts are one of our streets' worst offenders, when it comes to visible litter. It's the callousness of the act that really bugs me too; people seem to think it's okay, as if gum and cigarettes will just break down like an apple core or banana peel. Not the case.

Also, the next time I step in gum that's still sticky, I'm getting a DNA test on the trace saliva so I can identify and beat down the person who was responsible.

 

[picard102]

And again: if applicable, there's always swallowing your gum. Which in practice, is more manageable than swallowing your cigarette...

People are taught at a young age that swallowing gum is bad. Likely so they don't consume it as fast, but it's created a habit of throwing it out.

 

[condovo]

I say swallow your cigarette butts too. I mean, how much more damage would they do to your body anyway?

 

[Tulse]

The cops should be able to taze people who spit out gum and toss cigarette butts onto the streets.

Sounds like you'd like Singapore.

 

[yyzhyd]

Sounds like you'd like Singapore.

LOL so true... and it's not just limited to outdoors.
I remember trying to eat a granola bar in a taxi in Singapore and the cabbie almost threw me out.

 

[egotrippin]

Sounds like you'd like Singapore.

Yes, I do. I'm glad that they can uphold some level of respect for their immediate surroundings and spaces. They are a little harsh though, but sometimes that's what it takes.