Chewing gum

The irish seem to have a problem with chewing gum.

Dublin sidewalks typically are polka-dotted with smashed sticks of gum that defy removal. The problem reflects Ireland's well-documented national carelessness with litter, as well as too few garbage bins in public places.

The project, launched Monday by a government-appointed Gum Litter Taskforce, will mean prominent billboards thanking people "for binning your gum when you're done" — and warning of increased enforcement measures if they don't. The advertising push is being piloted in Dublin, the second-largest city of Cork, and the eastern coastal resort of Bray, but is expected to go nationwide over the next three years.

Do what we did. Ban the sale of chewing gum! Heh!
Nah, in all seriousness, I don't think it would work for Ireland. Singapore is tiny. So small that you could run it like a large company. And we do. But I'm also aware that what would work here would not work anywhere else. In that sense, I acknowledge my country's uniqueness.

But I'll telling you.... I used to get so angry when I had a wad of gum stuck to my shoe sole. I'd rather walk barefoot, than have a sticky sole. So when the ban kicked in, oh boy, I was a happy camper!

And it didn't affect people all that much. Remember. Ban on the sale only. People brought in sticks of gum from elsewhere and distributed it out. That was OK. So population suffered a little in terms of convenience. But for the greater good? Sheer sole bliss.


Still, good luck with the threat of fines. Hardly works, at times.....