Further to our news piece back in October – the Gumdrop chewing gum collection bins have been a great success in reducing the damage to our floors. Thank you to all of you considerate enough to use them.
It therefore gives us great pleasure to present a video of Papa Guns playing with plectrums made from recycled chewing gum. Papa Guns comprise of Adam and Alex – who you may recognise from working in the venue. Like many of our staff they are talented musicians who further their craft by soaking up the great music that is provided most evenings at the Band on the Wall.
Gumdrop bins in the venue collect waste chewing gum, these bins are sent back to Gumdrop who use a highly secret method of recycling gum into useful pink everyday products. If you send them a picture of your best air guitar impression, they will send you a plectrum..
You can also have a look at what Gumdrop are doing on facebook
Chewing gum waste is a major blight on the streets and floors of the UK and costs millions of pounds of public money to remove. With the reduction of local council budgets from central government, street cleaning has borne the brunt of these cuts and as a consequence the streets of our cities are increasingly unsightly.
All of us can do our bit in reducing rubbish around our cities and gum users particularly should consider the disproportionate cost of what is a healthy habit. This is why Gumdrops are so good as a receptacle for this waste, because they are specific to this type of rubbish they highlight the fact that it shouldn’t be acceptable to spit out gum on the ground.
From the Band on the Wall’s point of view people using Gumdrops keeps the venue looking good for visiting musicians and customers, which helps us attract hirers for weddings and so on. Saving our carpet from early disposal is itself a significant reduction in waste.
So thankyou once again if you have used our little pink gumdrops, you are helping make music.
Band on the Wall is a member of MAST – Manchester Arts Sustainability Team – and is working with other local cultural organisations reducing the carbon footprint of venues in Manchester. For further information check out On the Platform.