I didn't know organisations still did these, I thought they were something that only happened years ago when we were still spraying CFCs about with gay abandon and running our cars on 4*.
The potential environmental impact of hundreds of burst balloons strewn across miles seems pretty awful to me. It will be hazardous to wildlife at worst and an eyesore at best.
It's the school's big and exciting jubilee event and they're charging £1 per balloon. Good fundraiser, no doubt about it.
Should I ask the school whether they'd considered the litter that this event will create? Even giving them the benefit of the doubt and believing the balloons will be biodegradable latex, there are still going to be pieces of rubber that will take months (at least) to completely disappear landing in waterways, in people's gardens etc etc.
Not to mention the world helium shortage 
So AIB an U eco-warrior? I need to know before I make a dick of myself by raising my concerns.
AIBU?
To think a balloon launch is a really thoughtless way for a school to raise funds?
ShatnersBassoon · 25/05/2012 17:11
Trestle, why on earth would condemn any kind of campaign which gets people interested in the environment and wildlife? Being concerned about the environment is not an exclusive club you know - any kind of awareness raised amongst the general population is a good thing. And stopping balloon releases isn't like trying to tackle the North Pacific Trash Gyre, or the mountains of rubbish in shantytowns which children pick through to try and earn some pennies. It's very easy to feel helpless when you see images of those. Stopping balloon releases in this country is something we could do easily for the good of our environment, our wildlife, our farm animals and ourselves. Why would you want to denigrate people's interest and efforts? 
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