Advertisements on and around beaches are nothing new, but that doesn't make them any less of a nuisance.
A viral Reddit post on r/MildlyInfuriating served as a good example, showing a seaborne billboard with an advertisement for basketball shoes from Champs Sports off the coast of Miami.
"These are more than mildly infuriating," one user commented. "Imagine hiking in the woods and seeing a billboard. It ruins the whole reason you went outside."
The original poster replied: "When that happens I'm done. I'm living in vr [virtual reality] lmao."
"VR is already full of ads; this trend will continue until capitalism is no longer materially relevant or civilization collapses from climate catastrophe," a third noted.
Most were concerned with the rampant commercialization in nature, but some weighed the costs to the ecosystem.
"Like we don't have already enough trash in the ocean," one commenter wrote.
The ship carrying the display likely runs on diesel fuel, which negatively impacts human health, the environment, and the climate.
"Emissions from diesel engines contribute to the production of ground-level ozone which damages crops, trees and other vegetation," according to the Environmental Protection Agency. "Also produced is acid rain, which affects soil, lakes and streams and enters the human food chain via water, produce, meat and fish."
Fuel and oil also include petroleum hydrocarbons that can cause problems for the ocean's bottom-dwelling organisms, per the EPA.
Many Redditors noted that people will soon have to pay for even more aspects of living: "life premium," "the premium beach experience," and "the premium subscription to earth."
Users also noted the ad scheme had been perpetrated in Fort Walton Beach and Destin in the Florida Panhandle as well as Ocean City, Maryland.
"Obnoxious advertising like this makes me take note of the advertisers and ignore their products," someone said.
Barge billboards debuted in Miami at least as early as 2016. The city commission unanimously passed a ban on the ad vessels, but it covered only some waters in its jurisdiction.
It's just the latest in a long line of marketing ploys.
"Plane banners were bad enough," one user said.
Another wrote: "Just wait for the satellite ads. They're coming soon."
Other comments ranged from "dystopian bs" to "sickening."
One user urged the poster and others to take action.
"Petition your state government and start a referendum to make billboards illegal," they wrote. "They're illegal in Maine for this reason. They look awful."
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