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

I hate the idea of damaging the environment and hurting wildlife in the name of my deceased babies. In fact all I want to do is honour them in a positive way, like raising money for charity or doing something positive in their name. Balloon releases make me really sad. If someone doesn't realise and is grieving I probably wouldn't go as far as to say to them, because it helps them (I am on a lot of bereaved parents groups). But being aware I am absolutely clear it should not hapoen in the name of the babies that I lost.

I think this is just rage bait so I’ll be blunt. Your relatives are dead. Releasing balloons in memory of your family members doesn’t make them any less dead. It does however, make other things dead unnecessarily. Lovely way to remember lost loved ones.

I'm starting to think they released them inward instead of out.

And they scattered like cockroaches!

So you’re happy to be held responsible for inflicting a cruel and painful death on sheep, cattle, horses etc. just so you can play at being virtuous. 😳

Christ, some people really are the pits!!

I'm starting to think that some of the responses are bots talking to other bots 🤔.

🤣🤣

We live in an area under a hosepipe ban, with a lot of farmers’ fields nearby. Last night I saw 5 of those paper lanterns on fire floating overhead. I ran out to turn on the hosepipe, ban or no ban, but they floated on. I didn’t see any smoke later, so hopefully nothing caught fire. Can’t believe people are so unthinkingly putting lives and property at risk.

Coul anyone be so stupid with one head .

I went to a funeral with a butterfly release. Unfortunately it was raining and they had got damp.
Nothing respectful about it

Very glad to see 98% agree with the OP

I don’t like balloons full stop. Balloon arches make me cringe.

Plant a tree, plant some flowers, paint some pebbles and leave them in a place that is special to you. Buy a memorial bench for a park or beauty spot. Sponsor a lifeboat and get your loved one’s name put on it (may not always be available).

I wish MNHQ could do a troll release, in memory of how this forum used to be.

Just so you know what "actually happens" ... A friends much loved horse ate one these balloons, coliced and died. She had him autopsied as she found him (healthy young horse) dead in the field. Very said happens quite often. I would be HORRIFIED if I thought someone did this to remember me. But given your attitude, perhaps your relative wouldn't care either.

How irresponsible and ignorant about the environmental impact

Completely agree.

We released butterflies in memory of our deceased. It was beautiful and good for the environment.

My beloved dog died five months ago and oddly enough I don't need a bit of blown up rubber, or whatever the balloons are made of to remind me of her. She's in my thoughts every day.

Can't imagine needing something as destructive and shallow as a balloon to enable me to remember and feel close to someone I love once they've died.

Yep!!

As we were taught at school
“ No one likes a show-off”

I don’t understand this. If a small child tried to swallow a deflated balloon and it got stuck in their throat there would be a high chance of them dying - nearly impossible to remove. Why would you want to release balloons knowing the damage they could do to other animals?

100% showing off, nothing more, nothing less.

I’m pretty sure @BeSunnyLemonSheep is just rage baiting, I mean wtf is “summer festival “ anyway? No such thing that I’ve heard of. 🤷‍♀️. May Day? August bank holiday weekend? 😆

The environment in which you and your loved ones here and elsewhere lived? Don't care about it? Glad it's a minority of people who do these forms of memorials.

I'm allowed to have an opinon on the matter like everyone else. Do as you please, that's on you not my concern as I don't care about randoms in that respect.
It's true I can't do anything about it, but I am concerned for the younger generations are going to suffer because people now don't care about the environment now.
It's all too easy to say I don't care about the enviroment or I'll be dead anyway, but those people probably have kids or grandkids. They obviously don't care much about them to take that attitude.

I completely agree.

We have all lost precious people, theres barely an adult in existence who isn't mourning the loss of someone.

If we all released balloons, every day, how many billions of balloons would be littering the planet.

It's totally unacceptable.

Yea my lovely neighbours over the road who turn the street into GTA San Andreas when it hits 24 degrees 🤣 although tbf even they know nowadays balloon releases just arent the done thing which is why it is so obvious that poster is just being mischievous.

At least memorial benches are useful. You can sit on them.😀