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Beachgoer captures photo of disturbing scheme overtaking local shoreline: 'It's ... getting out of control'

"Why can't we just have one space without ads?"

"Why can't we just have one space without ads?"

Photo Credit: iStock

Beaches may no longer be an escape from screens thanks to floating billboards disrupting the shore views.

In a Reddit post, one beachgoer shared a photo of a barge-sized digital billboard coasting through the ocean just off the Florida shoreline.

"Why can't we just have one space without ads?"
Photo Credit: Reddit

"Can we ban this from our beaches?!?!" wrote the original poster.

The concept of beach billboards is not entirely new, but their presence is growing. 

These ad platforms cruise along coastlines globally, raising alarm not only for disrupting scenic views, but for being impossible to ignore.

A few commenters noted that the ad barge in question may be promoting the Clearwater Aquarium, which has partnered with a marine mapping initiative. According to a linked article, the barge is part of a high-tech project collecting data on the seafloor.

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Still, others remained unimpressed.

"Isn't it ironic how they are promoting a 'world of wonder' while destroying the view of an actual world of wonder?" one commenter asked.

"It's sickening and getting out of control. Can you imagine seeing that from your house as you're sipping your morning coffee?" said another.

These digital ads are just a small portion of the relentless push of advertising into every inch of public life.

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In a world already oversaturated with marketing, these mobile billboards take ad overexposure to a new level, invading nature's few remaining commercial-free zones. 

"Why can't we just have one space without ads. Gawwd humanity come on," a commenter said.

In addition to being unsightly, advertising overload contributes to environmental harm.

The more we're bombarded with marketing, the more we consume. This drives up demand for goods, manufacturing, packaging, and shipping, all of which emit harmful polluting gases and grow our already overwhelmed landfills.

Individuals can take action to fight consumer culture by choosing to be more sustainable in their purchasing choices.

For example, choosing to buy second-hand items from thrift stores, through programs like ThredUp, or in community buy-nothing groups helps reduce the amount of demand that leads to increased pollution.

By taking these steps, consumers participate in the circular economy, which benefits the Earth and can help eliminate these eyesores.

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