Visual Pollution

When we mention pollution our thoughts immediately spring to plastic bags, smog, rubbish and recycling. But pollution is not limited to these blights on humanity’s existence.

Visual Pollution

Pollution incorporates anything that impairs the natural order. Noise and the visual are also included, but often dismissed in favour of carbon footprints and global warming.

Advertising, billboards mounted at every turn in the city and along our highways are visual pollution. They are an eyesore, a corporate canker eating at our senses.

São Paulo, nary a billboard in sight

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“In 2006, Gilberto Kassab, mayor of São Paulo, Brazil, passed the ‘Clean City Law.’ Citing growing concerns about rampant pollution in his city, Kassab decided enough was enough. But this was no ordinary piece of pollution legislation. Rather than going after car emissions or litterbugs, Kassab went after the billboards. Yes, you read that right: Kassab wanted to crack down on ‘visual pollution.'”

Source: Good Cities Read more

Opinion:

It’s interesting to note the opinions of the corporations and companies, that before the ban they didn’t realise how ineffective billboard advertising was.

Pity more cities didn’t take the same stance.