Election season is just right around the corner and the candidates are now clamoring to get their names stapled in the voters’ minds. Though, speaking of getting stapled, there has been a good amount of election posters appearing in every turn. It seems that every day they are growing in numbers.
These people with their mannequin smiles and blank stares and eyes whose sparkle has been graphically enhanced – they’re everywhere! Campaign posters of different styles, colors, and sizes litter the roads on my way to work. It’s like passing through a disfigured kaleidoscope of smiling faces – a gallery of promises that would decide our future.
Unfortunately, some of these posters are slowly being vandalized, torn, and haphazardly installed. These marred images then become an eyesore instead; thus, losing its objective of instilling inspiration and garnering attraction. I, for one, would rather avert my gaze (though this poses a challenge as well) from these glaring objects on the fences, the posts, the walls, on buildings, and even on public transportation.
What happens after the election period when the people have voted? Will these candidates still be responsible enough to ensure their campaign materials are properly disposed? I could not picture out how they would dispose these materials – as there are so many of them. By the looks of it, most of them are not even biodegradable thus making proper disposal a challenge. What can you possible do with a bunch of plastic posters from these individuals? Make goody bags with them?
I remember the last election where flyers were strewn on the ground at the entrance of the school where my precinct was located. Turns out, it is an election strategy – a last hurrah if you will – so the voters would remember their names when they see it on their way to vote. Imagine having people step on your smiling visage printed in black and white as they make their way to the precincts.
Some of their campaign supporters would even go as far as moving from house to house inserting flyers between the gates and fences – these would then be blown by the wind and become added garbage on the side of the road. I doubt the owners of the houses would appreciate these pieces of paper scattered in their property. I doubt they would remember the names or even bother reading the contents on these flyers – I know I didn’t.
Even though there may be groups of people assigned to clean up after the election period, would they really be able to clear out everything? If so, I can only hope they would be able to properly dispose (or hopefully, recycle) these campaign posters.
It makes me wonder how effective this type of marketing would be. In the digital age where we can reach a hundred in less than an hour, do we really need THAT many posters and flyers? It seems to me that these strategies are doing more harm to the environment. Even though this may be an effective strategy (as it seems it has already become a tradition when it comes to the election period to flood the roads with posters), surely there are other means to get one’s name across. At the cost of the environment, is it even worth it? I don’t think it is wise to continue with this type of tradition.
In the end, the leaders we choose would be the leaders that reflect us. Sometimes, with all the fuss of accolades and promises from them, we forget about what truly matters – our future. For years, we have taken for granted our environment. Would we want a politician who would not exert the same effort and passion in preserving the environment? If we put our fates and our future in their hands, they should be responsible enough to acknowledge that the environment plays a significant role in our existence. In the tug-of-war between the environment vs. the elections, who would win?
_______________________________________
Author’s email: tashamaxineflores@gmail.com
