Dear Urban Diplomat: how do I stop my neighbours from covering my street with posters?
Dear Urban Diplomat,
I live in a neighbourhood with an active homeowners’ association that posts notices for every imaginable picnic/lost kitten/Earth Day event on every light pole within a five-block radius. This perky brigade of community boosters makes me want to scream—I’m this close to telling them that, if they really want to save the planet, they might consider nixing the incessant postering. How can I persuade them without getting branded the neighbourhood crank?
—Anti-Poster Girl, Leslieville
It sounds like you’re well on your way to fulfilling that role already. Personally, I’d let it slide. But if you simply can’t, try beating ’em by joining ’em: attend some meetings, and once you’ve nibbled on cookies and established your non-crank credentials, you can point out the irony of wasting paper to promote Earth Day. Then suggest a greener way, be it social media or a community email list. And who knows, maybe you’ll get to know your neighbours instead of just grumbling ineffectually about them behind their backs.
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Dear Urban Diplomat,
I live in a neighbourhood with an active homeowners’ association that posts notices for every imaginable picnic/lost kitten/Earth Day event on every light pole within a five-block radius. This perky brigade of community boosters makes me want to scream—I’m this close to telling them that, if they really want to save the planet, they might consider nixing the incessant postering. How can I persuade them without getting branded the neighbourhood crank?
—Anti-Poster Girl, Leslieville
It sounds like you’re well on your way to fulfilling that role already. Personally, I’d let it slide. But if you simply can’t, try beating ’em by joining ’em: attend some meetings, and once you’ve nibbled on cookies and established your non-crank credentials, you can point out the irony of wasting paper to promote Earth Day. Then suggest a greener way, be it social media or a community email list. And who knows, maybe you’ll get to know your neighbours instead of just grumbling ineffectually about them behind their backs.
Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at urbandiplomat@torontolife.com){kind=link}
I think one has to realize that there’s some truth to the old adage: it’s not worth sweating the small stuff. Consider walking so as to avoid the cracks in the ground, and you won’t notice the postering at all.
I miss the messages about neighbourhood events. Since i moved up to the burbs the streets are full of commercial signs for roofers, driving schools, and check cashing places. Only about 1 out of 200 is about public engagement, and most are large posters, junk signs and stickers aimed at passing cars. Because people don’t walk on the local streets, nimby residents stick up their ‘Save our streets’ and ‘No to densification’ signs using toxic vinyl bag signs. Each one is a few orders of magnitude more polluting than a legal 8.5 x 11 paper sign.
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I think you should confront the posterers with your concerns. Be rude and confrontational. Talk behind their back to your neighbours. Leave snarky post it notes on top of the posters. Let your true self shine.
I had this issue with posters on a post outside my house (dog walking, fire wood, lawn cutting, roofing et all) I now make a note of the names on any posters on posts around the nieghbourhood and make an effort not to use their services. When I call their competitors for a quote and they ask how I found out about them, I make sure it tell them that I looked for them since they had the decency not to deface my property with posters on the post.
I’m amazed at how many small business’ appreciate this kind of feedback, they almost always tell me they’ve considered putting up posters but didn’t know if they actually worked and are delighted that the competitions advertising dollars are in fact working for them.
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Y u mad, bro? You sound like the neighbourhood crank!
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Be grateful you live in a community and country where you can post events. Maybe it is time for you to move out to the country.