Is ‘visual pollution’ a billboard or graffiti?
I’ve wondered about this before. Graffiti is against the law because it’s done on someone else’s property without their consent, but I would venture to say that most are programmed to view graffiti or street art as visual pollution because it’s “coloring outside the lines.”
A few years ago, Sao Paulo, Brazil, outlawed what they called, “visual pollution.” The world’s fourth largest city outlawed billboards!
Although legal challenges from businesses have left a handful of billboards standing, the city, now stripped of its 15,000 billboards, resembles a battlefield strewn with blank marquees, partially torn-down frames and hastily painted-over storefront facades.
Interestingly enough, Sao Paulo is known for their ever abounding street art:
So tell me, what is visual pollution?
[via AlterNet, WorldHum & Peace Be Still ]
Drew Palko says
I’d rather see street art than adverts any day. Usually when I think of pollution, I think of something that hides something that we want to see… Light Pollution hides stars (…amoung other things…) generic pollution hides nature… I’m not sure what Visual Pollution would hide… but if I had to choose, I’d rather see expression of human emotion rather than something trying to change my emotion towards a product.
Eric Dye says
Good stuff, man.
Tina says
I think visual pollution is when things like advertisements and graffiti are so prevalent that they distract from the overall view of things or detract from an otherwise beautiful setting. A billboard on a city building wouldn’t bother me much, 100 billboards in a small area of a city would be visual pollution. However, 1 billboard in the middle of a beautiful natural setting would be visual pollution as it would detract from the beauty of nature. I know just from my own home, too much visual clutter (cds, books, papers, furniture, etc.) causes me stress. The less visual clutter, the less stress I feel (plus it is so much easier to keep clean). I think that too much visual clutter in a city is also stressful…you don’t know what to read or look at first. You can’t appreciate anything because there is too much to look at. Sometimes it can get so distracting you can’t find the signs you ARE looking for because there is so much other visual “stuff” competing for your eyes’ attention.
Eric Dye says
Well put. Thanks, Tina!