AIBU to object to balloon and lantern memorial releases for environmental reasons ?

Littering is a criminal offence but for some reason the loons that throwing plastic into the sky get away with it.

The fines should be much, much higher.

In England, under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, dropping, throwing, or leaving litter anywhere in public (including private land and waterways) is a criminal offense. Councils can issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) up to £500 for offenses, including litter thrown from vehicles. 1, 2, 3]

They had me until "...Halloween, summer festival etc?".

Would the people who want to release balloons consider releasing butterflies? You can get inexpensive kits to raise them from larvae, watch them become caterpillars before eventually going through metamorphosis and then you release them. It's seasonal (March to September) but it's a really lovely way to commemorate someone and more pollinators are always beneficial. I'm sure your loved ones would rather you remembered them with something that improves the natural world.

ETA: Sorry, just seen earlier posts about this. I skimmed the thread but didn't read thoroughly enough. I'll go read the links.

Thank you, I wondered if that might be the case but it’s disappointing.

I can’t really get worked up about this vs all the other things us humans do that damage wildlife/environment

You can't argue with stupid.

You think the presence of a balloon brings your deceased family member to you?
It is self serving and going by your attitude selfish

As has been so clearly illustrated on this thread, you can't fix stupid.

Therefore, I propose we all push our MPs to fight for legislation banning the sale of helium balloons, chinese lanterns, fireworks, disposable bbqs et al.

Every year, on her birthday and on the anniversary of her death, I drink a cocktail and remember a dear friend, lost tragically young. Remembering a loved one doesn’t need to be performative or damaging to the environment.

We don’t post it on social media.

It doesn’t matter that you don’t like it, there’s nothing you can do about it. It happens multiple times a year regardless.

Even in China Chinese lanterns are banned in many places - and purposely doing things that harms animals in this way is moronic, chavvy and cunty.

And can I be utterly clear that this is not a disparaging comment on the culture. We have a few settled families in the village and they're predominantly lovely. The only two bones of contention are some clashes over education and the choices made by the previously mentioned family (which I wouldn't have related to their culture myself but they do use it as a defence).

An alternative to littering and killing wildlife. Oh come on.

And they are too stupid to realise the majority of people seeing their Insta-bbz-xoxo-with-the-angles-now posts are thinking "what a right load of bell-ends"

What a stupid reply. There are loads of ways you can pay respect to loved ones without causing harm

I agree, but I think the way people sometimes share this opinion with people who are recently bereaved and grieving is pretty shitty.

They're settled travellers.

Releasing doves and butterflies are cruel and not a suitable alternative, Releasing butterflies can also harm the native population.

https://www.pigeonrescue.org/faqs-2/why-dove-releases-are-cruel/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-41331682

Same here - Dovestones is on fire and I'm around 17 miles away and it's all we can smell and even taste and there's a "smog" here today.
What upsets me most is the wildlife and potentially livestock who have been harmed.

I remember randomers organising mass balloon releases for Charlie Gard, Alfie Evans and others.

very much “our need to demonstrate our grief overrides your concerns”

I have noticed locally a few planned releases people have been able to raise objections without being aggressively shut down for daring to raise it with grieving families so maybe there is hope.

There have been petitions over the years with thousands of signatures but for some reason the government have never intervened with this and I don’t know why.

We seem to think the environment is something we can use and abuse on a regular basis and that it will always be fine. As we sit in a serious heatwave. People need to wake up and realise that we are killing ourselves. I swam at the beach in Spain some years back when I lived there. I swam alongside litter. It was awful. This is what we are giving to our children when we send bits of shiny string up into the atmosphere. It’s awful.

I hate these things too - it's so selfish and entitled. That's part of the problem though - so many people ARE selfish and entitled these days.
Right now, our town and many other areas are covered in a stinking cloud of smoke and have been for days now because some braindead idiots thought it would be a good idea to let off fireworks to remember a dead friend who died in a lake (where there are clear signs not to swim) on the bone-dry moors during a heatwave.
We're about 17 miles away from Dovestones and the smoke has literally created a smog, people with severe asthma and COPD are being warned to keep doors and windows closed and used air purifiers, ash is all over our cars and outdoor furniture and even with everything closed all you can smell is smoke - all because someone wanted to let off fireworks (would have been the same result if it had been a Chinese Lantern).
As annoying as the above things are, what upsets me most is the devastation to the wildlife and knowing that not all of them will have survived and that some will have suffered agonising burns.

One of the idiots responsible has appeared in court and been named by the media but others were gloating on social media saying that people were "only complaining because they can't put their washing out".

I've named a star after my beloved Nanna, I've created a memorial "garden" for another loved one, I planted rose bushes for my daughter and my brother. None of these things have impacted on anyone or anything else and whenever I get a new rose (I wasn't even a gardener and had never planted anything before), it makes me smile and I think of my loved ones,

Ego-centric to place a piece of furniture in a public space, and ensure every single person who passes sees the life dates of a dead person they never knew. I just wanna do park run.

Parks have benches. If you're doing park run, you're surely not stopping to look at each one and read the memorial plate, if any, so how can you tell whether it's in memory of someone, and see their life and death dates?

@BeSunnyLemonSheep what a silly outlook - I'm glad you are concerned about sheep / deer / foxes or something live chewing down on "your special memory" balloon. Absolutely ridiculous.