Boxes of Blight
“There is something different about newspaper boxes that seems to attract stickers and graffiti,” says the Boxes of Blight Tumblr blog, dedicated to exposing decrepit and defaced newspaper vending boxes on the streets of Philadelphia. “Many are surrounded by bus shelters, utility poles, fire hydrants and other likely palettes which are much less frequently targeted.”
More than just an artistic project, the blog aims to pressure newspaper publishers to comply with Philadelphia Official City Code 9-211, which says they should repair “any malfunctioning, vandalized or otherwise damaged box within seven calendar days of the occurrence of any such damage,” and keep “such box clean and free of graffiti, broken parts, pasted bills and debris of any description, including ruined or out-dated publications.”