Resident outraged over advertising scheme disrupting neighborhood: 'It feels like a car putting on their flash beams'

A Reddit user posted a photo in a forum about Los Angeles. The photo showed an illuminated advertising billboard in Koreatown that was so bright it was affecting their sleep. 

"Billboard turned up their brightness to level 100… It is entirely wayyyy too bright & I can't sleep," wrote the OP, who then joked, "Should I go into the light?"

They also asked who they could complain to, and helpful commenters were able to assist with advice and empathy. 

Aside from being bright and disrupting the sleep of neighboring residents, this type of in-your-face advertising can influence people to make unnecessary purchases. 

Overconsumption leads companies to produce more to satisfy the wants of consumers. When customers consume more than they need, it contributes to environmental problems. 

The more products companies manufacture, the more air pollution is released into the environment, contributing to the planet's warming.

This also leads to increased waste, which eventually ends up in landfills. The landfills release harmful gases into the atmosphere that contribute to the warming of the planet as well as water contamination that can affect human health. 

These products are often produced quickly and cheaply, so the low-quality products don't have the longevity of higher-quality purchases, thus ending up in landfills that much faster. 

Being aware of how advertising affects us — whether it's a bright, flashy billboard or an influencer's social media post — is important. 

If we are thoughtful about our purchases and only buy what we really need, we can make an impact. Purchasing one high-quality jacket in a timeless style, for example, will likely help you save money in the long run rather than replacing a cold-weather staple every year with a low-quality trending look that may not even last the season. This results in less pollution from manufacturers and less waste from us — a win-win situation.

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Recycling properly is another way we can reduce waste created by what we purchase. 

Repurposing items also helps. With a bit of creativity, you might be able to turn a blanket into a bed for your pet. Or an old piece of furniture might be transformed into an outdoor bench for your garden. The same can be said for food. Use leftovers to create a brand new dish the next day rather than throwing them in the trash. 

No matter how enticing — albeit annoying — a bright billboard may be, stop and think before making purchases.

One Redditor commented on a similar situation in their neighborhood: "It feels like a car putting on their flash beams (in)to my home."

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