A beachgoer's photo of a floating billboard sparked the internet's ire and is emblematic of a growing problem.
Posted in the r/LateStageCapitalism subreddit, the photo showed a massive billboard floating in the sea, a fair distance from the beach in Miami, alongside a distant cargo freighter disrupting the otherwise beautiful beach landscape.
The ad raises issues about the state of society. LED billboards like this tend to use significant amounts of energy; according to Billboard Insider, they use between 24,000 and 28,000 kilowatt-hours per year. That is enough energy to power multiple small homes.
They're typically self-contained systems and are fueled by diesel generators, meaning the electronic billboard is powered by polluting oil, which pumps more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
They can also pose a direct risk to the environment; in the event of a storm, they could dump the diesel fuel directly into the ocean, creating a much bigger problem.
But the issues this billboard represents extend beyond the environmental and into societal problems. We're inundated with ads constantly — every website we go to, every bar we visit, every TV show we watch has ads, and advertisers continue to find new and unique ways to bring them to us. We see them on cars, in cars on their in-dash screens, and yes, even at the beach.
These ads push a culture of consumerism and a desire to buy that only adds to our growing societal waste problems. As we consume more, we throw more away, and the trash ends up in landfills, contributing to the pollution problem we're dealing with.
You'd be far better served by thrifting or finding ways to upcycle goods — you can end up with plenty of quality goods and save money, as well.
Commenters were similarly annoyed by the billboard.
"They just have to ruin everything," one said.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
"This is hell," another wrote.
|
Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
