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AIBU?

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Original poster

Stop releasing helium balloons in memory of

143 replies

Fiis · 01/06/2025 15:51

Plus seen weddings, gender reveals etc with this too.

Balloons do not go to heaven. They float c. 50 miles, depending on wind conditions, then pop as hit a certain height.

The balloon remains fall to earth, usually in a field. Farm animals have eaten them and reports of them dying,

If you want to remember someone, do something permanent such as planting a tree, lighting candles at home etc

OP posts:
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5
LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/06/2025 19:20

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 01/06/2025 18:31

The Chinese, presumably. 🤔

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😆

Glitchymn1 · 01/06/2025 19:19

I can’t think of anything worse than knowing my death resulted in something else dying or suffering. I don’t want balloons or fireworks.

I’m sorry to those who have lost loved ones, I hope you can find something that brings you comfort.

Pricelessadvice · 01/06/2025 19:16

We have a farm that we now run as a livery yard and I often have to go and retrieve balloons or Chinese lanterns from our fields and hedges.

A local lad was killed recently and they had a mass release of balloons. What good does anyone think this does? Does watching balloons floating up into the sky really give anyone any comfort?? Or is at all just for the social media pictures…

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/06/2025 19:15

Hufflemuff · 01/06/2025 16:46

Yep and farm animals could eat a plastic bottle cap and die too... the world's full of plastic crap unfortunately. I think its highly unlikely the balloons will reach a farm.

I'm in favour of doing it if it will help someone's grief or be part of a celebration.

This is going along the same lines of "we should ban fireworks because it upsets my dog".

Confused I don't even know where to start with this post!

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/06/2025 19:14

HangryLikeTheHulk · 01/06/2025 16:40

I can’t help thinking that a gender reveal is pulling your pants down in public.

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Seriously, stop it!!! 😂

ScupperedbytheSea · 01/06/2025 19:14

Spies · 01/06/2025 18:31

I'm surprised you've missed it. Theres been lots of examples in the news even if you've not seen anything locally.

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I do remember a thing many years ago about not using Chinese lanterns, but honestly this is news to me. I obviously need to emerge from under my rock.

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/06/2025 19:13

HangryLikeTheHulk · 01/06/2025 16:39

And fuck your balloon arch and your giant birthday numbers. Fuck them up your arse.

😆

Spies · 01/06/2025 19:13

And makes me cringe inside out too, when she posts it all on FB.

This is the other part that's irritating, the kind of people who do this always post it on social media because it's done for likes and views.

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/06/2025 19:12

Iwantsandybeachesandgoodfood · 01/06/2025 16:21

I asked a florist for a couple of balloons for my dads funeral a few years ago (please don’t jump on me, it didn’t occur to me to think of where they’ll end up) and the florist said she couldn’t sell them to me if I was planning on “releasing them” as she considered in unethical. I obviously didn’t go ahead with releasing them. Hopefully more people will take this stance.

Good for you for not going ahead with it. Sorry to hear about your dad. Flowers

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/06/2025 19:11

user1473878824 · 01/06/2025 16:15

What four percent voting think murdering farm animals in a slow and painful way is reasonable?!?!

This. ^ Who on earth is voting YABU?! Confused

@Fiis YANBU absolutely. Bloody things need consigning to the history books!

HÆLTHEPAIN · 01/06/2025 19:10

I agree. My SIL insists on doing it every year on my FIL’s birthday or anniversary of his death and it absolutely pisses me off no end. And makes me cringe inside out too, when she posts it all on FB.

I absolutely love her to bits (I appreciate it may not sound like it, but I do), we get on so well and agree on most things but this one thing I just cannot get on board with. And I can’t say anything because I don’t want to cause any drama or ill feeling.

NormasArse · 01/06/2025 19:07

They’re often stuck in trees, flapping about. I saw one during Covid, and it’s still there.

tuvamoodyson · 01/06/2025 19:07

KatiMaus · 01/06/2025 17:06

If you believe it's unlikely that they end up in fields where animals live, where exactly do you believe the majority of this shit goes? To heaven?

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As Judge Judy says ‘looks fade but dumb is forever’

Original poster
Fiis · 01/06/2025 19:06

LaLaLaLavaChChChChicken · 01/06/2025 18:24

Adding an extra fuck you to those who have the balloon arch or giant numbers for a day, then give them away on FB the next day.

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See this all the time!

OP posts:
tuvamoodyson · 01/06/2025 19:04

Hufflemuff · 01/06/2025 16:46

Yep and farm animals could eat a plastic bottle cap and die too... the world's full of plastic crap unfortunately. I think its highly unlikely the balloons will reach a farm.

I'm in favour of doing it if it will help someone's grief or be part of a celebration.

This is going along the same lines of "we should ban fireworks because it upsets my dog".

So, they have to land somewhere, but it would be unlikely to be a farm?! Why do you think that?

NormasArse · 01/06/2025 19:02

HangryLikeTheHulk · 01/06/2025 16:39

And fuck your balloon arch and your giant birthday numbers. Fuck them up your arse.

You’d need a massive arsehole…

tuvamoodyson · 01/06/2025 18:59

Paintbench · 01/06/2025 15:52

Last time I was aware of someone doing this… it was about 15 years ago on a tv programme
Not aware of anyone doing it now

Happens all the time! Usually, imo, some teenagers has been killed in a car crash/murdered, his friends and family gather in some nearby park to let balloons off…I detest these types of ‘tributes’

Pricelessadvice · 01/06/2025 18:59

Hufflemuff · 01/06/2025 16:46

Yep and farm animals could eat a plastic bottle cap and die too... the world's full of plastic crap unfortunately. I think its highly unlikely the balloons will reach a farm.

I'm in favour of doing it if it will help someone's grief or be part of a celebration.

This is going along the same lines of "we should ban fireworks because it upsets my dog".

How utterly selfish. I despair of the human race.

Ruggerlass · 01/06/2025 18:56

Definitely should be banned. Plenty of harmless ways to remember loved ones

Ruggerlass · 01/06/2025 18:54

HangryLikeTheHulk · 01/06/2025 16:39

And fuck your balloon arch and your giant birthday numbers. Fuck them up your arse.

totally agree

MiracleCures · 01/06/2025 18:47

I think the problem is anyone remotely intelligent/informed stopped doing this a long time ago. But there is a subset of stupid that it's impossible to to get through, so bans are the only solution now.

butteredhorseradish · 01/06/2025 18:42

IwantmyReptv · 01/06/2025 18:19

So many idiots still do this to litter / commemorate people who have passed away.

Our council are too scared to call it out though as it's a "sensitive issue". I asked them to join the campaign to declare they've banned balloon and lantern litter releases, and they wouldn't. Every person who releases balloon litter needs fining. I no longer care why they are doing it. They should know by now how awful it is.

They should ban it and perhaps make some suggestions of what grieving people can do instead.
Funeral directors could help with that too.

There are lots of ways to commemorate people who have died without littering the environment and wasting helium.

Thatsrhesummeroverthen · 01/06/2025 18:40

LaLaLaLavaChChChChicken · 01/06/2025 18:24

Adding an extra fuck you to those who have the balloon arch or giant numbers for a day, then give them away on FB the next day.

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Isn't it better that they are being reused?
Ballon arches don't use helium usually, giant numbers don't have to if you hang them not float them.
Wonder how many people on the thread are happy to munch on the farm animals you are (rightly) wanting to protect...

Mauro711 · 01/06/2025 18:38

Hufflemuff · 01/06/2025 16:46

Yep and farm animals could eat a plastic bottle cap and die too... the world's full of plastic crap unfortunately. I think its highly unlikely the balloons will reach a farm.

I'm in favour of doing it if it will help someone's grief or be part of a celebration.

This is going along the same lines of "we should ban fireworks because it upsets my dog".

You need to spend more time thinking and less time around the helium. Even if you for some odd reason don’t care about animals or the environment, we need helium for life saving medical equipment. Would that be enough of a reason for you to not release even more completely unnecessary plastic crap filled with a natural resource we need into nature?

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