Buenos Aires to Remove 40 Thousand Billboards to Fight Visual Pollution

Most of us are familiar with air, water, and soil pollution...but have you heard of visual pollution? According to Wikipedia, visual pollution is "an aesthetic issue, referring to the impacts of pollution that impair one's ability to enjoy a vista or view." Some of the most common types of visual pollution include overhead power lines, graffiti, and as residents of Buenos Aires have learned, too many billboards!

Officials in Buenos Aires estimate that almost 60% of the current billboards in the city are illegally displayed. That means 40,000 signs are in violation of regulatory codes that are supposed to limit the size and location of commercial advertisements. Now, these signs are being taken down to improve the view, reduce the risk of accidents, and boost overall quality of life in the metropolis.

Understandably, many advertising executives are reacting negatively to the proposed crackdown. They believe the billboards offer a valuable service to society, although they do agree that some regulation is needed to preserve the value of billboard space. Maybe they should opt for highly-visible eco-friendly promotional products instead! Branded merchandise is an effective low-cost method to reach a target market with useful physical giveaways. Since promotional merchandise is made up of items that people already use on a daily basis, it's hard to imagine that it will cause any additional visual pollution in Buenos Aires or wherever else it is used.