Are Billboards Polluting The Landscape In Los Angeles?

Los Angeles is the biggest city in California and the second biggest city in the United States, second only to New York City. Because there are nearly 4,000,000 people in the city, Los Angeles is ideal for billboards and signs. The billboards can reach many more people in LA than in other cities.

Because of this fact, many brands and companies have quickly placed billboards within Los Angeles to build their brand and reach more potential customers. Although this is great for the businesses, many residents within Los Angeles are fighting back.

The Los Angeles Times has written about this issue many times. This issue goes back to the early 2000s, if not earlier. This brings up one vital question: are billboards polluting the landscape in Los Angeles?

In this article, we will dig into that question in more detail by looking at both the arguments for and against the usage of billboards in LA. We end with our final takeaway, but it is ultimately up to you to decide the role billboards play within the city.

Arguments For Billboards In LA

Money, as they say, makes the world go round. Because of this truth, many marketers and advertising agencies are always looking for the best way to find new customers, build their brand, and grow their business.

To this day, billboards are one of the most effective options for targeting audience members and reaching new potential buyers. Since billboards are so effective, they are an excellent investment for cities because they bring more money into the economy.

Beyond the financial benefits of billboards, they can also help to raise awareness about missing people, social issues, and more. Digital billboards, for example, are a great way to post information that drivers may need to know to save a life or improve their own lives.

With these two benefits in mind, billboards help improve Los Angeles's economy, all while spreading pertinent information about necessary events and situations. This shows that there is a lot of good for billboards.

Arguments Against Billboards In LA

Even though some of the benefits for billboards are apparent, many people are against billboards being placed in LA. Opponents of billboards claim that they are polluting the Los Angeles landscape. Given that Los Angeles is located in one of the most beautiful areas globally, it would make sense that the locals want to preserve the beauty instead of hiding it.

Digital billboards especially take the heat from many opponents. Unlike regular billboards, digital billboards produce light and require electricity to run. As a result, they lead to chronic pollution, visual pollution, and light pollution.

Not to mention, many opponents cite the sheer number of billboards in LA as being pollutive. These opponents claim that billboards in and of themselves aren't a terrible idea, but the sheer number within the city is damaging to the landscape and beauty.

Conclusion

It seems that proponents and opponents of billboards both have some valid points. In our opinion, it appears that the sheer number of billboards in Los Angeles is polluting the landscape. This does not mean that billboards should be banned, though.

Instead, Los Angeles billboards should be managed with utmost concern and ethicality to promote business, save lives, and preserve the beauty of the landscape, all at the same time. Although this may be a difficult task, it must be pursued so that the city and the terrain can remain flourishing and attractive.