to think that you don't let off a load of helium balloons, whatever the cause?

[SignoraStronza]

Found this morning in the hedgerow of a cattle field, a memorial balloon with accompanying length of ribbon and plastic wrapped message. Thankfully I found it before our friend's beasts did.

While I have every sympathy (well, mostly but that's another thread) with the cause that the message was promoting and the bereavement the organisers suffer, AIBU to think that the damage this could have potentially caused to the environment is akin to those sky lanterns that people are finally beginning to get the message about?

There is a request to email with the location it was found - am not sure whether/what I should write. Prepared to be told In a grumpy arse.

This thread made me think of the Disney film Tangled, when they release thousands of lanterns. The stupid bastards!

I remember that thread U2, people were being dicks of the highest order to you

I let a helium balloon off on Father's Day every year for my dad who passed away 3 years ago in horrible and sudden circumstances, I'm not a thicko, I don't believe in heaven and I know he won't read it but I want to mark our missed Father's Day some way that DD can get involved in, I write a message on the end and Send it off. I sort of knew about helium shortage but didn't quite get round to doing the environmental impact assessment for remembering my dead dad

Maybe I'm being sensitive but I think the comments on here are OTT.

Shineyshoes, I'm so very sorry for you and your family

to Shiney, Piper and U2

Achery yes i will tell my dc that letting off one balloon a year will stop them from being about to ever have an mri scan helium is sold to people i dont get it illegally me buying a balloon filled with it and letting it off is not going to stop mdi scans
if there wasn't enough it wouldn't be available on the market

signora yes i am fully aware that a person who has died is unlikely to be in the sky! my dc however isn't it brings them comfort and got them through a very tough time and now it is used purely for my dc's own selfish gain what a terrible person i am

maybe i should grow a conscience as someone else has said

Uptownfuckup there are more than 7 billion people in the world, and they all have grandmothers (at some point). If you don't understand that many environmental and resource problems are caused by people thinking "oh, it's just one", then you need to listen to people who do understand that.

I haven't called anybody a dick for doing this. I have pointed it out that it's bad for our children's futures, and bad for the environment. I care about the environment because my kid will have to live in it, so it is my business if people are fucking it up for no concrete reason. (And it is no concrete reason - it is perfectly possible to remember your loved ones without using helium balloons.)

if there wasn't enough it wouldn't be available on the market

In what universe is this a sensible response to a resource problem? Of course it's on the market now, because people will pay for it. It won't be on the market in 30 years time because people like Uptownfuckup think "oh, it's just once a year, it's no problem", except the issue is there's millions of people thinking "oh, it's just one" and bam! it's all gone.

Let's hope none of our kids need an MRI scan in 30 years, hey?

well as i said
i doubt my one balloon a year will stop my child from being able to have an mri scan , if they didn't have enough they wouldn't sell it to us its pretty simple. so the only real argument here is the actual latex balloon being harmful to some type of wildlife

to be fair i buy more then one helium balloon a year (i buy a tank )
its only one that i let off

only just seen this :

Uptownfuckuup, I hope you do tell your DC, when they can't have an MRI scan they need because there isn't enough helium left, that it was all used up by them messaging their nanny in the sky, back in the day.

I appreciate you're passionate about your cause but you want to take a good long look at how you speak to people, this is extremely insensitive and makes you sound like an condescending arse. Do you really think berating people over how they mourn their dead loved ones is the way to get people on board? Seriously tell us what is the point of saying this to someone, what have you achieved in that? Did you expect uptown to apologise and thank you for your wisdom? Or do you just get a kick out of being a patronising know it all?

My friend lost her son a few years ago. His little sister is still too young to understand where the big brother she worshiped went to and the explanation she feels the most comfortable with is that she's in the sky with jesus (I hold no belief I add but friend understandably does after her loss)
Every year this little girl sends a balloon to her big brother, it gives her comfort in something she really still doesn't fully understand.

I wouldn't begrudge her that balloon.

It's not fair to insult people who simply don't know, and especially when a balloon has been suggested as a lovely thing to do.

But I think we need to spread awareness so that people don't turn to balloons when they are looking for just the right symbolic act.

I honestly don't think that anyone would wish to be remembered by a seal choking to death, or a young dolphin tangled and drowning.

And I know you didn't call anyone a dick, that comment was for Procrastinator

Only on MN would screaming at children in the supermarket be pardoned on the proviso that "maybe they had a hard day", yet letting off a balloon for children in the memory of their dearly loved relative would be considered the measure of a 'dick'

Blu

Exactly

I'd be the last person to deny comfort to a grieving child but I don't think that letting helium balloons go is a natural or traditional part of the grieving process. Adults suggest these thing when they could just as easily suggest something that was less damaging to livestock or wildlife.

Ah my favourite Mumsnet bone of contention - Helium Balloons.

In what other context would it be ok to shout at and criticise grieving people?

Condolences to all of the bereaved people on this thread. I can understand why you get comfort from letting off balloons, but please please look at what happened to this poor little suckling calf, and find some other way of remembering your loved ones.
www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/party-balloon-kills-calf-43271/

I got virtually crucified for asking on a local FB page that they didn't release balloons. I suggested flowers or leaves into a stream or river or bubbles being blown into the air. They did it anyway (but hardly anybody turned up).

Well said Tamzin

Hopefully people will listen.

Biodegradable balloons take years to biodegrade - after a few years they won't be litter, but they may still have killed an animal in the meantime.

Re pure and impure helium. If you have less pure helium it can easily be purified. Using impure helium is a pretty crap reason from the helium balloon lovers...

flyingwishpaper.com
These papers that you light then float up seem a great alternative to balloon releases.