Visual pollution and solutions for potholes and obesity
By David Young
Sometimes the voice of the people gets heard, and the group of citizens protesting the giant billboard that lights up the night sky above the Extreme Planet building have won some concessions.
Protests have been growing and unanswered letters sent to the desk of city Mayor Bosco Vallarino, about the advertising screen upsetting local resident’s sleep patterns, and distracting motorists streaming along the Cinta Costera.
Led by activist Sara Zomer, negotiations with Extreme Planet have led to the intensity of the billboard being reduced and the operating hours pulled back to 7.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. Previously the screen, visible from far out into the Pacific, was on until 1 a.m.
But the protestors do not want to stop there. Permission for the site was given by City Hall, without prior consultation with the citizenry. Which seems to be the watchword of politicians, But the permission was within the law, and it produced dollar income which may be used to help solve our other garbage problems.
Says Ms Zomer: “Our task from now lies in ensuring on the development of a law to protect citizens from situations such as we haveendured with this screen. Legislation cannot allow the granting of operating licenses of this type of lighting until 1a.m. … But the root of the problem lies in poor legislation. We need to get the government to re-examine the laws regarding the operation of devices like this. They need to have limitations of location and clear limits to the hours of operation”
She could have added “and consultation with citizens” in the area. Panama is afflicted with an overgrowth of billboards. It was the kind of problem that was dealt with in North America by tough legislation limiting the size and location of billboards that were making a mockery of “a weekend drive in the countryside”.
Anyone who has driven over the Bridge of the Americas will get a first hand view of what American highways looked like in the past, until a stop order was imposed.
But the blight is also on our city streets, with giant billboards and illuminated moving signs which distract drivers in a city with more than its fair share of traffic incidents.
Take a look at Paris for guide lines on how to reduce advertising pollution.
SIGNATURE POTHOLES
Germany was once renowned for its highways spearheaded by the autobahns which were enthusiastically pushed by Adolf Hitler as a means of combating unemployment, and giving a network of high speed roads for use by a resurgent military.
Today alas, German roads are suffering from the ravages of a severe winter, and lack of money to repair the damage.
One enterprising small town mayor has come up with a unique solution…selling potholes. Citizens are invited to purchase the hole of their choice which, when filled in, will have an embedded medallion carrying the donor’s name.
How about that Senor Bosco? And to reduce costs, the tamping down can be done by the feet of the people.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
The Ministry of Health is planning to educate the public on sensible eating, aiming to reduce obesity and reduce health costs.. A laudable objective, But alongside sensible eating goes the need for exercising. Our medical columnist Dr Eric Ulloa suggests half an hour of brisk walking each day for starters. So what about a daily “walk for health” on the Cinta Costera, led by those politicians whose waistlines exceed a healthy limit?. On the way they could help solve the litter problem. It’s called ruling by example. Any takers?
