Hi, we will talk about visual pollution. It is the presence of any unwanted sight that can ruin the aesthetic appeal of a specified area. Visual pollution is especially strong in city and urban areas, it may lower the quality of life in certain areas, or could impact property values and personal enjoyment.There are many elements that conform visual pollution but we believe that the biggest of them all in the cities are advertising and billboards on our streets. This type of pollution has become a serious problem; our cities are full of advertising and we cannot eliminate it so easily.

For example, one person may not mind seeing a city street lined with dozens of billboards and advertisements, while another person may be bothered by this sight and may prefer to look at an uncluttered country road. Another example to consider are the Billboards and advertisements on highway roads, it can be a visual pollution issue that causes drivers to become distracted while traveling on roadways.

This kind of pollution affects us all. How? Well, it might distract drivers and then could cause car accidents. Also, birds are being affected because many of them crash with ads and it may kill them, finally health problems like stress, depression, anxiety due to ads that doesn’t have the quality that we prefer or that really don’t have the quality to catch our attention, but we are on time, we could make the change, making the difference is in our hands! But, where to start? Have we ever supported campaigns to involve people and help have a cleaner city or controlled ads? So, we should support them and implement education about ways to make clean publicity and not in excess and remove it when it’s expire, avoid destroying the environment by putting ads, reduce the light use and other ones. There are many and different ways to reduce the visual pollution, it’s on each one of us to make the change.

Visual pollution affects us hall, it can cause accidents and we can even have health problems, we can help make the difference. Each of us should ask ourselves, have we ever supported campaigns to involve people and help have a cleaner city? We can work on education programs, teach our children and showcase that small changes make the difference.

Visual Pollution

The industrial revolution was what gave birth to environmental pollution as we know it today. Many years have passed since the industrial revolution, but during that time, men have identified the different types of pollution from which they’re responsible. There are many kind of pollution and while they may come from different sources and have different consequences, we must understand the basics about pollution and how we can help people minimize their contribution.

Within all types of pollution, we can find visual pollution. Visual pollution is the presence of any unwanted sight that can ruin the aesthetic appeal of a specified area. This type of pollution is perceived through the sense of sight. According to several studies, the main elements of visual pollution are: power lines, construction areas, billboards & advertising, abandoned buildings and fences. The use of these elements lead to the following consequences: dust and air pollution, garbage heaps and landfills, excessive quantity in electric wires and poles, signboards that prevent visibility, deforestation, and many graffiti that mess up public places. As we can see, there are many variables within the visual pollution, but we believe that the biggest of all the pollutants in the cities are advertising and billboards on our streets. This type of pollution has become a serious problem; our cities are full of advertising and we cannot eliminate it so easily. Visual pollution is especially strong in city and urban areas. Every day millions of people are exposed to this contamination, mainly in the biggest cities of the world. The cities were captured by the pollution. Visual pollution affects us all. A building that is made entirely of glass can reflect sunlight, which is dangerous for the people driving. Billboards and advertisements on highway roads can distract drivers and cause accidents. Another factor may be depression, stress and anxiety due excessive quantity of billboards & advertising. Finally, loss of tourism income and increasing crime- Studies show lower crime rate in areas with less visual pollution. Visual pollution disturbs the visual areas of people by creating negative changes in the natural environment. It may lower the quality of life in certain areas, or could impact property values and personal enjoyment.

We can help make the difference. Each of us should ask ourselves? Have we ever supported campaigns to involve people and help have a cleaner city? There are two basic approaches to solving visual pollution – planning and education. Better results can be expected. Though it is difficult to change habits with people and expensive to redesign and replace what already exists. Better results can be expected. Planning to create harmonious and peaceful surroundings. Education: The more people understand the importance of beautiful surroundings; the faster change will be seen. Protect trees and natural resources, reduce banners on the roads. Everybody together can work on education programs, teach our children and show that small changes make the difference and Better results can be expected

Bibliography

Sustainable baby steps, 2009, 7 Kinds of Environmental Pollution, Recovered by http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/kinds-of-environmental-pollution.html

Video visual pollution final

Raising awareness!

Many of us love how the city looks from a lookout but, does it look similar when we are in the city? What we watch when being in the city is....Visual Pollution (as we could appreciate in the second picture)

Visual Pollution: How to reduce it?

We should contribute reducing the visual pollution through the following advices:

• Do not put many posters or advertisements in one place, all together.

• Billboards should be allowed to hang at roadside for a specific period of time, after that time, should be removed to avoid unwanted burden of billboards.

• Reduce the size of graffities and if possible, to enable a place for this kind of art.

• Wires should be stretched by following a well-planned design so that these do not cause any problem to view things of distance. 

• Implement education about this issue and its effects.

• Reduce ads in front of shops and on the roads.

• Protect all the element of urban furniture (poles, trees), which should not banner or notices attached, in accordance to existing rules.

• Protect trees and natural resources elements of the city, which should not hang banner or notices, attached to any class.

• Plant more trees and reduce deforestation.

• Use energy resources efficiently.

Visual Pollution in Costa Rica

"Visual Pollution is more poisonous than any other pollution because it kills the soul"
-Friedensreich Hundertwasser

Are we doing something to reduce the visual pollution in Costa Rica? We are on time!
There are many and different ways to reduce it, so depends on each and every one of us to make the change!

Causes & Effects of the Visual Pollution:

Causes:

• Billboards, telecommunication and electric wires, and other ones because through the uncontrolled manipulation of man (size, order, distribution) become polluting agents.
• Graffitis, many of these could be called as “art expression” but, these should be removed to an enabled and special area to this kind of art.
• A building that is made entirely of glass because could reflect sunlight.
• Billboards, signboards and advertisements on highway roads, might distract drivers.

Effects:

• Barren lands and deforestations, just to hang one or more ads.
• Distractions by driver could cause car accidents.
• Health problems like: depression, stress, anxiety and eye fatigue.
• It creates ecological problems, as it affects the balance of nature and animals flee from place.

Visual Pollution: What is it?

Visual Pollution

Visual Pollution is the presence of any unwanted sight that can ruin the aesthetic appeal of a specified area, especially strong in city and urban areas. Also, it disturbs the visual areas of people by creating negative changes in the natural environment.

For example, certain individuals may not mind them watch a city street lined with thousands of billboards and advertisements, while another individual may be bothered by this sight and may prefer to look at an uncluttered country road. Also, billboards and advertisements on highway roads can be visual pollution  that causes drivers to become distracted while traveling on roadways.