During election seasons, political ads regularly clutter the sides of major roads, dug into the dirt and plastered onto buildings. Some Maine politicians took this to the next level, as was showcased in a Reddit post titled, "How is this not considered a billboard?"
The post was shared on the r/Maine subreddit and features a photo of large storage containers covered with huge signs for a city council candidate.
The post garnered attention, showing the outlandish extents of political self-promotion, with six of the same poster seen side by side in the photograph. As the headline states, it also questions the legality of the larger-than-life display. To preserve the state's natural legacy, Maine prohibits all billboards, and many felt this setup was basically a billboard.
This excessive form of advertising comes as no surprise, with companies regularly inundating scenic views, public areas, and even individual items with marketing campaigns. This disdain for constant promotional content transcends the U.S., as someone in Melbourne recently shared that the view of a local landmark was intruded on by an ad for chewing gum. Another individual found a cellphone company ad inside their fortune cookie.
While ads like these promoting products speak to a larger issue of overconsumption and mass production, the massive, eyesore political ads say more about the desire for power overriding respect for the earth.
Not only do these huge signs use up resources to be created, but they also take away from what could be a lovely area. Further, when the election is over, they'll more than likely end up in a landfill where they'll contribute to the pollution that is overheating the planet.
Fellow Redditors filled the post's comment section with a mixed discussion of the legal loopholes taken to have this much advertising and the effect the advertising had on the area and its residents.
"What a way to screw up a beautiful state like Maine," one commenter wrote.
Another referred to the display as a "monstrosity."
The reverse effects of the signs were also apparent, with a commenter saying, "It's tacky and downgrades the appeal of the area for sure. I tend not to vote for the most boisterous people like this. It's a red flag for me."
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Should the government continue to give tax incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 💯 "That's a really funny way to spell, 'Don't ever vote for me,'" someone else added.
To offset the effects of overproduction, you can shop at thrift stores or participate in Buy Nothing groups. You can also vote for candidates who care about the environment and discourage using humongous signage like this that will likely end up as litter.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
