You’ve probably stepped on sticky gum someone tossed on the ground before. Gross! 

Even more gross, there’s often an ingredient in gum that doesn’t biodegrade. That means it doesn’t break down naturally. So that gum can stick around a long time. 

Recently, two students in France came up with a plan to keep gum off the streets—and off shoes. 

Hugo Maupetit and Vivian Fischer put up signs in Nantes, France. They asked people to stick their chewed gum to the signs. That kept the gum off the ground. 

Hugo and Vivian collected the gum from the signs. They had it cleaned, melted, and shaped into colorful skateboard wheels! 

The two students hope their project inspires others. Can you come up with a creative way to recycle things people toss out?