Graffiti: Illegal and Environmentally Detrimental

When people look at graffiti, such as that which lined the bridges going over Mill Creek at most of the sites we examined, they may be upset because it seems out of place. In such a natural environment, the neon spray paint colors seem to jump out, and not necessarily in a good way.
But, the problem extends beyond just the visual pollution on these bridges. As seen here at sites 3 and 8, the graffiti work done is dangerously close to the creek.

|At both locations, there was evidence of some spray paint which had dripped down and into Mill Creek. 

There have been many studies done which show the negative effects of the toxins within paint. The solvents can lead to birth defects, and traces of benzene have been make the spray paint considered carcinogenic. 

To say that it is a bad idea to put this paint into Mill Creek would be an understatement. The ecosystem would completely crash if too many of these toxins existed.

In all honesty, I don't see the popularity of graffiti fading anytime soon. Rebellion is always going to happen, and graffiti is an easy way to act upon it. However, some hope can be seen for the environment. There are many groups which are starting to promote the use of nontoxic spray paints for art.
One group which has stood out is nontoxicprint. You can follow this link to their website, where they can explain the health hazards that go along with spray paint, as well as alternative brands that don't have as much of an effect. Check it out!
http://www.nontoxicprint.com/

-Marra

Sources:
nontoxicprint. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.nontoxicprint.com/thetoxicityofsolvents.htm