Love and Hate Mail:

Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 03:34:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: XXXX XXXXXXXX 
Subject: Your Litter

Dear Sir or Ma'am,

I understand your concern about the white plastic "signs" being posted on publc
utility poles. However, I would like to ask you a few questions.

1. How does stapling your flyer over the sign solve the problem? It seems to
make it even more tackier.

2. This method of "advertising" has been around for a long time, i.e. Garage
Sale, House for Sale to name a few. Do you intend on stopping all forms of
public advertising? Or only the ones you don't like, i.e. the ones mentioned on
your website?

3. Public property is public property. Just as those people putting up their
signs can, you could go right behind them and take them down. What is your
ultimate goal for this group?

4. As for the content of the "ads" on the signs, is there proof that what they
promote is not true? I do think some of them are not honest, since I myself got
roped in to one of those "schemes" years ago, but does that mean all of them are
false? I do know people personally that have responded to the lose weight "sign"
and have indeed lost weight.

I hoe that you can answer my questions and provide more information, 

Thank you for your excellent comments and questions.

1) You're right that posting our "amendments" to the advertising signs makes them temporarily even tackier, but there's a powerful deterrence effect as well. We turn the advertisements against the polluter by making their shame explicit. We also notify potential future polluters that this advertising method, while initially inexpensive, will cost them greatly in prestige and cleanup costs. The "Ugly Litter" signs say to everyone considering destroying the landscape for their cheap business strategy, "If you do this, you will be laughed at by every passer-by."

2) The Principles of De-Signing are explicit. Only abusive polluters are to be targeted. This campaign is NOT about what we do or do not "like". It's against the out-of-control proliferation of landscape-destroying, exponentially multiplying corporate scattershot advertisements. For the most part, garage sale signs and individual real estate sale signs are self-limiting and sincerely neighborhood-specific. In addition, occasionally individuals with small, local businesses will advertise in a non-abusive fashion by posting only locally and with restraint. These signs are not to be targeted.

3) "Public property" does not mean that individuals may use the property as their own. It means the government has restricted use of the property so that the general public may enjoy some minimum measure of use collectively. These polluters are treating public property as free private advertising space which destroys the enjoyment of the public.

4) Whether or not the advertisements are for legitimate products and services is immaterial. If someone wants to believe that magical Get-Rich-Quick-Without-Effort schemes and Lose-Weight-Without-Effort products are offered for free on telephone poles, feel free to send money for them. Fraudulent claims and sacrificial pyramid schemes are not our worry — the crappy mess they leave behind is. Caveat emptor.

Date: 5 May 2001 16:55:53 -0000
To: info@uglylitter.com
From: Fred the Former Lineman
Subject: Signs

I have a unique talent - as a former lineman for a utility company, I climb
poles!

Many of these sign polluters now place their spam high up on utility poles,
making removal difficult. Not for me! Today I removed more than a dozen signs,
some with your "I am ugly litter" stickers on them.

Keep up the good work! Motivate your neighborhood groups to form sign removal
teams - an enjoyable Saturday morning activity.

P.S. I like your web page.

Take care, and keep those signs coming down! 

Thank you so much for your participation! We've often wished we had a ladder for those really high ones! Maybe you can teach us how to climb.

Date: Wed, 09 May 2001 17:39:14 -0700
From: tiger342 
Subject: hello

I was very surprised to see those gigantic car dealership signs last week on
broadway. I must of removed 6 of them only to find them back up the next day. no
problem, i figured, they will eventually get pulled down.

well, on sunday evening i found a horrific sight: all the signs had been
savagely broken and plastered with I hate ugly litter signs.

Now i don't like seeing those big signs any more than any one else, and well,
the small ones arnt too bad but these were very unsightly...BUT, I also didn't
think the way the signs were beaten and left up was very pretty either. it was
kind of a scary sight to think that someone enjoyed vandalizing something and
leaving it for everyone else to see.

I am not in defense of the signs but think that at least I was willing to pull
them down and do something constructive with them. you were not.

I am from a big city and have seen groups with good intentions, get people who
are over zealous and end up tearing down everything in sight. I even heard a
story about how someone's garage sale signs were pasted all over her front door
after being ripped down from around the neighborhood. please be very concerned
about how what you tear down and how you do it.

I make it a very sincere practice to remove everything i put up and often take
down others as well. it is part of being responsible for what i do. I will be
happy to support a group who is concerned about litter in the area.

M.B. on broadway

Be sure to read to the end of this letter. The first 5 paragraphs are apparently disingenuous. This is a polluter showing himself. If he is truly "happy to support a group who is concerned about litter in the area" he should stop littering as his first step.

From: XXXX XXXXXX
Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 00:58:57 EDT
Subject: signs

I just saw one of your ugly litter signs yesterday in Beaverton OR. Today I got
one and went on the web site. I have been trying to get more volunters in the
Portland area to remove these signs. Currently there only a few "official "
volunteers in Tigard Oregon. ( a suburb of Portland) I have had instruction on
what signs I may remove. Each one I remove is marked with the date and location.
I am required to wear an orange vest, and City of Tigard Volunteer ID. The signs
are brought to the Tigard maintenance department.

I have had sucsess in almost eliminating these signs from my normal roads of
travel to and from work. I have a list of ideas to help get rid of these signs.
More later. 

Go man! This is the spirit we love to see. We would LOVE to hear about your experiences and techniques.

From: "nikki_mcfrikki"
Subject: One of those people who use signs
Date: Sun, 20 May 2001 09:05:09 -0700

I am one of those people who promote my business through signs. I do not litter.
I do not lie. The key word is "earn". I don't promise get rich quick. I work
hard to earn what I make and I follow the [Herbalife] weight loss program and I
have lost weight. I have talked to the people in charge of this city, and I am
not violating any laws. Nothing in my sign is "immoral" as you put it. I am
simply advertising an opportunity for anyone who CHOOSES to take advantage of
it.

I'm sorry if you don't like my signs. There's a lot of things I don't like
either. But most of all, I don't like people who think they have all the rights
to express themselves and I don't. I paid for those signs, so that makes them my
private property. I pay taxes that goes towards all of the public property.
There for I have the right to use that property to do as I please. But you are
vandalizing my private property, and that IS illegal. You don't get to vandalize
adult stores because they promote something you don't agree with. You don't get
to vandalize churches because they promote a religion you don't agree with. You
simply have to walk by, ignore them, because they have the same right to
expression as you do. I'm sure people don't agree with your form of expression
anymore than mine, but my signs are legal, your vandalism is not. You promote
immorality by disregarding my rights.

Please leave the signs and advertising alone. I will do everything in my power
to make sure I place them respectfully and responsibly. I can't make you like my
signs, but please be respectful of my rights to promote a business I believe in.

Thank you for your time.

Nicole 

Please tell us this is a joke. No one could be so stupid as to actually believe that posting private business advertisements on public property is protected by law. If that were so why would any business ever pay for print or broadcast advertising space? Why don't McDonalds and Honda and Coca Cola nail corregated plastic signs to public utility poles?

They don't do it because they know it's illegal and they're big enough to be worth official enforcement action. These scummy little home-based pyramid schemes are below the government's radar screen, so each of us must take personal responsibility to bring about the end of their abuse of our environment.

We enjoyed this correspondent's line "I pay taxes that goes (sic) towards all of the public property. There for (sic) I have the right to use that property to do as I please." We won't even begin to address this silliness so we'll leave it as an excercise for the reader.

We will continue to remove and deface your signs. Let everyone who drives past your cheap signs laugh at you when your own sign announces its true nature.

And congratulations with your weight loss. If you want to turn it into a legitimate business, buy legitimate advertising space. If you want to place your signs "respectfully and responsibly", place them only in places that you own or where property owners have given you permission.

[Note added 6/14/01: We called the Mayor of the City of Portland and the Neighborhood Graffiti Office. They confirm that "Nikki McFrikki" is violating Portland City Codes 14.20.070 and 17.64.040. They acknowledged that the city doesn't have the resources to deal with the problem, but they thanked us for our work and asked that we keep at it. They also suggested that if we were to report these signs to the police regularly, eventually action would be taken against "Nikki McFrikki" and Herbalife.]

Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 18:28:18 -0700
From: tig
Subject: UglyLitter

Only one question, gentle sirs...

When this is all cleaned up and we have returned to our pristine sylvan
countryside, whatever will you do for targets? :o)

Good going.  Never, never, never, give up!  Some fights are very worth the
strife. 

We'll keep it up as long as they do!

Reply-To: "sulu1"
Subject: I have an idea
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 12:52:18-0700

If everyone against pole litter is truly against pole litter (in the city of
Portland) please send in a response to Hugh McDowell, Head coordinator for
graffiti removal for the City of Portland.  Pass it on, his address is 
hmcdowell@ci.portland.or.us

We need as many signatures as we can get against pole litter. Right now he has
almost 1800 positive responses to pole litter, of people wanting it because of
the ambience it gives their neighorhoods. The people wanting it left there are
for small bands and acts as their only means to advertise to become noticed.
Many feel that as one of the arts they must do this to get recognized.  I say
hog wash myself.  Their are enough businesses on the boulevards targetted that
if they truly do want to be noticed they could do so in a window of someone
giving them permission.  Most stores have bulletin boards inside their
establishments.  If it's legal it gets posted, if not no way.

C'mon it's going to the mayor soon, pass the word, let's get rid of this stuff.

My husband and I have been removing pole ltter for quite some time. I have been
threatened only one time and that was with a hammer in the hands of a lady that
was getting ready to hang her signs on a pole. Realizing she would have hit me
with it, I let her be and returned later to remove her signs. She was a real
idiot. 

You bring up several interesting points. Enlisting the help of the local jurisdictions is always worth trying, but it's also often beyond their resources to do much about it. Please keep trying with them, but be prepared to continue to tackle this yourself. We're very glad to see you work on both fronts.

We must all always be aware of the risk that we'll encounter malicious polluters on our clean-up rounds. You've got the exactly right idea: leave the scene then return 1/2 hour later to finish the job. We were once met at signs by a furious man who yelled all sorts of absurd, self-righteous, falsified legalisms and aimed a video camera at us. We left his little protected pile of signs, rounded up almost 100 more of his signs on other street corners, then returned later after he'd left!

Date: 30 May 2001 05:34:31 -0000
To: info@uglylitter.com
From: Fred the Former Lineman
Subject: Litter

Another note: When placing your "I am ugly litter" stickers on signs, be sure to
deface or otherwise render ineffective the original sign. We have seen instances
where the "Ugly Litter" stickers have been removed, and the original "spam" sign
restored to service.

Why not carry a razor knife (box cutter) and at least remove part of the "800
number" on the original sign, so the cruisers cannot restore the sign without
replacing it?

These spammers even retrieve pieces of signs cut in half and write on the
reverse side, placing them again in the public right of way.

Take no prisoners....fight them! 

Excellent thinking. We've seen some examples of polluters removing our stickers before. One particularly virulent business would plant dozens of their fluorescent signs at dozens of intersections. We initially stickered each one, but found that the polluters would peel the stickers off before a week had passed. Next we tried cutting each of their signs in half before stickering. Unbelievably, the following week we found they had TAPED THEIR SIGNS back together!

We took this as a great success. If we're costing that much in labor, we're winning.

By the way, our cutting tool of choice is a USMC KA-Bar!

Keep up the great work!

P.S., always remember: if you cut their sign in half, dispose of the debris properly. Don't leave litter behind! (Our favorite technique is to staple the two halves together. That way the original polluter can do the work of cleanup. Another favorite technique is to deposit all the debris on the polluter's doorstep.)

From: XXX XXXX
Subject: Juvenile
Date: Tue, 05 Jun 2001 08:47:40 -0700

What gives you the right to manage other's lives?

How self righteous can you get?

Many of these people are small business people just trying to make a living.
They pay good money to do these ads. They are no more obtrusive than any other
advertising sign in America. Yes, advertising is everywhere, God bless America.

I hear the People's Communist People's Republic of China allows Advertising now,
you are running out of supporters my friend. Warn your fellow nut cases, you
will be held financially accountable for damaging this property. 

This correspondent has a lot riding on their polluting activities. We wish him or her luck in finding a new line of work.

From: XXX XXXX 
Subject: So called "Rights to advertise"
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 14:34:55 -0700

Those individuals who think they have the "Right to Advertise" just like any
other business are right. They are free to contact any radio, TV, newspaper or
other publication in order to place an ad. If they want to advertise by using
outdoor signs, then they may also do so by contacting billboard or other such
companies to place an ad.

Congress, state legislatures, county, city and other local governments have
enacted laws regulating advertising on the air waves and in public places.

Typically, when a business wants to advertise by the use of an outdoor sign, he
must comply with the local laws and obtain a sign permit from the state or
locality. In the absence of such a permit a person posting such a sign is in
violation of the law.

1.	Posting advertising signs on utility poles is illegal. This is true
whether the utility pole is owned by the government or utility. Persons caught
or responsible for such postings are subject to criminal prosecution and civil
damages.

2.	Posting advertising signs in the public right of way or within so many
feet of the right of way ( varies by locale) is illegal. Persons caught or
responsible for such postings are subject to criminal prosecution and civil
damages.

3.	Posting advertising signs on private property without the express consent
of the owner is a violation of state and local law and is punishable by criminal
prosecution and civil fine. Additionally, property owners have a civil cause of
action against the sign poster.

4.	Posting signs in empty lots, abandonded buildings or on or in property
that belongs to another without the express consent of the property owner is
illegal and is punishable as stated above.

Yes we all have rights, after all this is the United States of America. However,
just as a smoker's rights are subordinated to the rights of persons who doesn't
want to inhale carbon monoxide into their lungs, the right of all Americans and
especially of property owners(including those who own the utility poles, etc.)
to enjoy a neighborhood, park, roadway or other public place supercedes the
right of those individuals who place unsightly advertising signs illegally.

For those who say that they cannot afford to buy advertising on radio , TV or
print, take solace in the fact that this is America; the land where countless
numbers of immigrants arrived on our shores penniless and built financial
empires through hard work and LEGAL means. 

This clear, well reasoned analysis of the right to advertise makes us proud. If we had the budget, we would buy LEGAL advertising space in newspapers and reproduce this excellent essay.

From: "*OrAngE* ~Mecanique~(Khris)"
Date: Wed, 06 Jun 2001 11:40:03 -0700

hey, i followed your idea and went to ace hardware, and picked up a nice
galvonized steel pipe and a 3 way thing to screw on the top for extra wallop,
plus electric tape for grip. total cost: $4.41 i think. thanks for the idea, im
gonna start with the signs on my way to work today.....

i also got some neon color paper and rubber cement for signs (couldnt find any
sticker stock) thanks for the ideas 

Good thinking. We'd love to see photos of your de-signing device. Innovations like yours make this more fun.

From: "*OrAngE* ~Mecanique~(Khris)"
To: info@uglylitter.com Subject: i am so pissed!!!!!
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 18:13:04 -0600

hey, i went out and knocked down signs a few days ago, and theres lots more, and
on my way to work theres a lot more new signs... *sigh* im beggining to think
its impossible to keep these ASSHOLES outta my city.... lol 

You're discouraged only three days later? Don't be. This may be a long project... Keep at it.

From: SurfZombi1
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 18:18:47 EDT
Subject: portland war on signs
To: info@uglylitter.com

I saw this on the news a few nights ago but didn't get a chance to tape it as it
played once. I've found a good use for signs that I take down here in Salem, use
them as targets, not just to shoot them, but to practice shooting by setting
them up at 100yds (the small ones) and 200 and 300yds (the bigger ones). I'll
get some pics for your site soon if you want.

http://www.kgw.com/kgwnews/oregonwash_story.html?StoryID=20105

Thanks for the great link quoting the Portland mayor railing against illegal pole litter. We've recently received several emails from polluters from Portland who defend their signs. Arguing with these people has proven to be pointless. They argue (self-servingly, of course) that Protected Speech means they have the right to post their commercial speech absolutely anywhere they choose. It seems no matter how much you argue with them they refuse to recognize the truth: advertising on public property is illegal and attaching signs to privately owned utility poles is too.

One Portland anti-polluter reports he was recently stopped by a policewoman while defacing a "Lose 30 Pounds Now" sign. The policewoman thought he might have been posting the sign itself and threatened to arrest him for littering and scamming innocent people with the weight-loss pyramid scheme. As soon as he explained that he was fighting AGAINST the signs, she shook his hand and sent him on his way, disappointed that she hadn't found the perpetrator yet.

From: Bigr557
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 18:41:54 EDT
Subject: how to download the ugly signs

Hello.  My name is XXX XXXX.  I would like to be a part of your group. I'd also
like to have the ugly litter signs, but cannot accesss them after I download the
sign.  How do I access them??  You all have a very good idea.  I'm thiking and
trying to come up with a good sign. I've seen the ugly litter signs and the
poision oil signs. Would you please allow me to access these so I can print the
sign out?? What type of paper do you use for the signs??

Thanks.....

PS. Can you buy sticker paper at the store?? 

Thanks for the kind compliments. Everyone's welcome to participate!

We've added a link on our Resources page to lead you to Adobe's website where you can download their free Acrobat Reader. Download then install then you can view and print any PDF you download from the web, including ours.

We prefer Fasson Crack'n Peel Super Permenant Adhesive stock, as they withstand sun, rain, and removal extraordinarily well. If anyone discovers any better brands, we'd love to know about them.

From: Howard
Subject: RE: lawsuit
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 16:30:19 -0700

I know that you are not lawyers. However, perhaps some who read this website
are. Thus they may be able to provide the following information.

1. Is the company who benefits from this illegal advertising liable for the cost
of sign removal assuming such signs are in fact in violation of the law?

2. Can a private citizen file a lawsuit in order to force such removal?

3. Is the governing authority, (city, county, state) liable for failure to
enforce its own rules?

I think the only way to stop this is to sue one or two perpetrators, obtain a
judgment and then send out press releases to local media. When it starts hurting
them in the pocket, the message will be heard loud and clear. 

This is an excellent question. If any lawyers would like to answer this for us, we'd be glad to have the information.

From: Luckycharms5050
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 21:18:01 EDT 
Subject: Struggling Business Man

Hello! I've just started a business and pole advertisement is an econoomical way
for me to get my foot in the door. I already have a limited buget and if you
guys destroy my signs that will hurt me even more. I'm trying to feed my family
and hopefully try to empower my neiborhood by creating jobs and revenue.

I have a Question.

1. Since you guys care is there a way for you guys help us advertise in a way
that will be benificial to both of us.

2. What suggestions do you have for a strugglin business man like myself? 

We admire the self-determination you show in striking out on your own. Congratulations for your entrepeneurial spirit.

Pole advertisement is illegal. If you do, it we will do our best to destroy the ads. If that costs you money, perhaps you'll stop.

If you don't have the capital to run a legal business, we recommend you look for investors or keep a day job.

From: Luckycharms5050
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 11:23:46 EDT 
Subject: Re: Struggling Business Man

First of all we have not used poll advertisements yet. We are in the Junk
Removal Business, We just started about 2 months ago. As far as not having the
capital it's hard to find investors with a new start up. unless you are offering
to become an investor, we are looking! I know about pyramid scams and i don't
condone them either.

Back to my other question Do you guys aid business in other forms of
advertisements? Or have any othe inexpensive ways to advertise with a limited
buget.

Now we both know that it cost money and if i was to use poles I would hope that
we could come up with a common solution that would benifit the both of us?
Because of the type of person I am I take my money seriously and i would camp
out untill I see that person (stealing my money by putting one of those
uglylitter signs on mine) and confront that person. Now i know that can be
avoided if we can come up with a solution. 

Junk removal is respectable, but pole signs are junk. Please join us in removing them, since that's your business. We'd welcome your help.

In fact, since you're looking for creative ideas for free publicity, consider the good will you could generate with a press release that reported that your new Junk Removal business volunteers several hours per week removing illegal signs and other litter from your neighborhood or town. A headline in your local newspaper's Human Interest section could make you a celebrity. What a beautiful pairing! Junk Removal and Litter Cleanup!

From: Luckycharms5050
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 12:05:38 EDT
Subject: Re: Struggling Business Man

great idea! Do you have any resources where i can find how to do press relesses

Sorry, that's not our area of expertise. You could try just doing the litter cleanup with a big logo marked on your truck and see if you get press attention. If not, write a letter to the editor of your local paper describing your company policy. Accompany it with a photo of you in action.

And let us know how it turns out!