As the upcoming election approaches, Councillor Paudge Connolly has appealed for representatives to take a more "environmentally-conscious" approach to campaign season. The Monaghan councillor is specifically calling on the area's current elected officials to set the tone by running poster-free campaigns. Speaking to Northern Sound, the local representative stated; "There's a modern shift happening in how we view election campaigning. The voters of Monaghan are ready for a different approach - one that shows more respect for our towns, villages, and the environment as a whole. "The majority of these posters are made from corrugated plastic, a single-use material that can take over 400 years to biodegrade. This is a form of littering that we can no longer ignore." Cllr Connolly who is running his second consecutive poster-free campaign believes the current elected officials, whose names and faces are already well-known throughout the county, have an obligation to lead by example. "Posters are an antiquated method of communication. Our community deserves better than visual pollution," he explained.
While Cllr Connolly acknowledges that new candidates may look to utilize posters to build profile, he is urging them to take a minimalist approach; "There are so many creative digital solutions available that can reach voters without the financial and environmental cost of excessive poster use. Election time should be about engaging with the issues and deciding our future, not about harming the very place we're asking people to invest in. I call on all of Monaghan's elected representatives to join me in exploring cleaner, greener campaign methods that respect both the environment and the electorate."
