CHEW
ON THIS - GLEE GUM
by Tamara Holt | November 24, 2004 07:59 AM
Hooray
for Glee! We Treehuggers addicted to gum understand why
the little Glee Gum man is jumping up and down. Glee gum
in its retro-cool packaging is not only free of artificial
colors, flavors and preservatives, but it’s also made with
the traditional gum base, chicle, a resin from the Chiclezapote
tree, instead of the polymers, plasticizers found in most
gum.
The
Chicle in Glee comes from the Peten region of Guatemala
where tapping Chiclezapote trees plays a key part of the
traditional economy. Trained and apprenticed “chicleros”
hike far out into the rainforest to hand tap trees they
select for sustainability- virgin trees or ones whose scars
show that they have not be tapped for years. Sure, it sounds
like they are hurting the trees, but Chicleros are actually
known as "guardians of the forests" and cut only
deep enough to allow the resin to bleed out, but not so
much as to expose the trees to infestation or infection.
Hey,
it’s tradition. It sustains the economy, protects the rainforest...
and the tangerine flavor is faboolicious. (Cinnamon and
peppermint are excellent too)
It’s
about a buck a pack at any local store that's smart enough
to carry it. Or buy a case online.
Source:
http://www.treehugger.com
