Climate activists from XR Eindhoven have forced open several billboard panels at bus shelters in Eindhoven. They have put up new posters, calling on the municipality to take action against advertising ‘polluting products’ in the city.
According to Harm te Molder of XR Eindhoven: “In 2021, several parties in the city council tabled a motion to ban such ads, but then new contracts with advertising companies were quickly concluded. As long as airlines and travel companies are allowed to advertise often irresponsibly cheap flights, they will continue to normalise flying,” said Te Molder.
“Tobacco and gambling ads are no longer allowed because they are proven to be bad for our health. The airline industry is just as bad. That is why in cities around the world, advertising for flying will be banned.”
Week of Action
The activists’ protest in Eindhoven is part of an international week of action against airline advertising, sponsorship, and so-called greenwashing. More than 30 groups are taking part internationally. Among them in France, Portugal, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
According to Te Molder, pressure is mounting on national and local governments to address the problems of high-carbon-impact advertising. “In 2020, Amsterdam was the first city worldwide to adopt a proposal to ban fossil advertisements.”
Debate fossil-free advertisements
In Eindhoven, there is an initiative proposal from the Party for the Animals, PvdA, GroenLinks, and Volt to ban meat and air travel advertisements. The city council will decide on this early next month. Studio040 asked Eindhoven Airport for a reaction to that proposal, but the airport did not want to respond.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Chaitali Sengupta
