Slime also a CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEM.

Slime videos were probably the first trend that created a series of tons of thousands of satisfying videos that are watched nowadays on the internet by millions of people from different parts of the globe. If you don't know what slime is probably you are not very familiarized with Instagram, here's a compilation of satisfying slime videos.

There are thousands of slime recipes on the internet, but for a simple slime recipe, all the ingredients are 1 oz. glue, ¼ cup water, and ¼ cup of Sodium Tetraborate (Borax) Solution. The glue has an ingredient called polyvinyl acetate, which is a liquid polymer. The borax links the polyvinyl acetate molecules to each other, creating one large, flexible polymer. 

As many of you may already know (AND IF YOU DON’T WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? IT’S 2019) the world is suffering changes in climate patterns, also known as climate change. This problem as little as it may sound, has a huge impact on our ecosystems such as:

• Melting ice and rising seas. 
• Immigration on species. 
• The death rate elevates. 
• Extinctions of habitats and species.
• Changes in seasonal cycles.
• The risk of wildfires.
• Food web disruptions.

And guess what is the main cause of climate change. Greenhouse gases (GHG)s released into the atmosphere. As more fossil fuels, are burnt and other GHGs are released, the atmosphere is able to absorb more radiation and so is warming up. 

Production of glue also affects climate change, because before you use them to create your slime they go they go through a series of processes. Elmer's Glue is made from synthesized chemicals, such as natural gas, petroleum, and other raw materials. The exact formula for Elmer's Glue is not available to the public.  Production of both glue release GHGs into our ecosystem. But also their transportation from their factory to the local store where you buy it, this distance may vary. Cars emit carbon dioxide as part of their emissions. So you are at the supermarket with the glue and then you carry it back to your home, which also produces more emissions. Finally, you make the slime and you finish the glue of your bottle and what happens to the plastic bottle? If you don’t recycle it, probably it’ll end up either in the ocean or burnt (when plastic is burnt, it releases toxic gases into the atmosphere). 

Imagine how many litters of glue have been “wasted” to make slime. Because most people that make it throw it away after a week. If we add up the posts that  are on the internet about slime the result is more than 146 million. If you multiply this number times the amount of glue needed for an average recipe the result is 4’088,000 and that is only on the internet. With that amount of water, we could fill up to 2 entire olympic pools. Because how many people have made it to and didn’t post it on the web. There have already been glue shortages in the USA.

We need to take conscience on how such a simple product may affect our whole world. Because the fun that it brings us may last for 1 day, but Earth is expected to live for 10 million years more. What kind of world will the next generations live on? There are already enough satisfying videos on the net about slime. And creating more will only harm our planet. Before making slime you should consider the impact it generates on our home.

"The Effects of Climate Change - NASA: Climate Change." https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/. Consulted on November 22, 2019.

"Climate Change - carbonfootprint.com." https://www.carbonfootprint.com/warming.html. Consulted on November 22, 2019.

"What Is Elmer's Glue Made Of? | Reference.com." https://www.reference.com/education/elmer-s-glue-made-5d7d7bc4c6b4c1cd. Consulted on November 22, 2019.