Being fined for releasing balloons

[Marmitecrackers]

I've just seen another thing on TV where people were releasing tonnes of balloons to mark some sort of anniversary. I'm sure it seems sentimental but I can't quite believe anyone still thinks it's ok to release loads of little pieces of rubber to be scattered all over the place.

If I popped 100 balloons and just left them in the street as I popped them people would be appalled. Yet where the heck do they think the released balloons are going to end up??

Am I being unreasonable fir thinking you should be fined for littering if you do one of these mass releases of balloons?

We should write to our MPs to lobby for them to be banned. Or to Marcus Rashford.

‘Balloons Blow’ also have a Face Book page that you can follow.

They really should be banned.

Absolutely they should be fined- when will people get it into their, dim heads the damage they cause.

@SeaDreaming

I've just seen a fb post about a dying calf that's suspected of having eaten half a burst "happy anniversary" balloon.

Urgh.

"Happy Anniversary, darling. Let's celebrate by inflicting a painful and lingering death on a farm animal".

Thank you for pointing me in the direction of the the balloons blow Facebook page. I'll send them a message

I found some "Never Forget..." balloons in the park recently. I must contact the council and see if local balloon releases can be stopped.

I'm always reluctant to share the 'Balloons Blow' campaign on FB as friends have done it when someone has passed away.

Better to plant something beautiful in memory? Small tree, shrub that is covered in flowers every year? So much more meaningful.

I can’t think of a worse way to honour a loved one. I don’t want to remember my Dad by giving a horse or sheep or turtle something to choke on. I often see people on Facebook who have done this, and of course, don’t want to say anything as they are deep in grief, but I wish people would think more.

i agree there was an incideent with those lanterns a few months ago they landed on a rescue farm nearly killed them

oh but it was for little henry-im sure he wouldnt have wanted dead animals to celebrate his life

I don't understand how, given out knowledge of environmental damage, balloons are still even produced.

Helium is a finite resource.

Even if the balloons are 'biodegradable', the helium is lost through the atmosphere.

A noble gas, helium won't react with anything in the atmosphere and will carry on through to outer space. lost forever.

Liquid helium is the only element found to be capable of cooling the magnets in MRI scanners.

If the COVID situation has brought about any incidental advantages, it seems to have thrown into stark relief the damage we are doing to our planet. The mad dash to work for 9am, cars choking up the motorways, has eased so much as the practice of working from home becomes more commonplace. It's always possible to find a parking space (as a university lecturer I'm now classed as a key worker, whereas the vast majority of admin staff usually based on the estate are now WFH). As far as huge organisations like universities are concerned, costs could be cut down considerably if that practice were to continue (imagine the electricity bills and ground rent, for one). No paper handouts are now being distributed because of COVID risks. The resulting reduction in printing costs & overheads, not least the waste paper afterwards, must be enormous. From my perspective, a 'blended learning' approach with some teaching being delivered face-to-face and some remotely also has a big impact. My commute is usually at least 1h15m long (cut down to 45 minutes now) and life isn't nearly so tiring with so much less rushing about.

I truly hope some of these changes will be maintained for good after COVID (if there is such a thing). Our lifestyles before were unsustainable. I'd go along with the PP who wanted rid of balloons entirely. They are a menace to the environment, as is so much of the plastic that litters beaches these days.

OP, YANBU. Hopefully the message will continue to get through.

The more dealings I have with people the less I like them. Some people are so incredibly selfish and thick.

I am so fed up of the 'me first' 'what about me' 'it's what I want' attitude of people.

It's a shame covid isn't intelligent enough to rid us of the very worst.

Totally agree with you

YANBU.

I've taken part in balloon releases in the past. But I wouldn't now because I'm aware of the devestation they cause.

There are other ways to get similar effects, I was at a celebration thing ages ago where cannons of coloured chalk dust were fired. It looked amazing. Lasers are really effective too.

Just last week https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/dudley/kingswinford/2020/10/17/balloons-set-to-be-released-today-in-memory-of-kingswinford-crash-victims/

why are council/governments so scared of banning these things along with fireworks

i just dont get it

I walk a lot in London's greenbelt. I can't tell you how often I see deflated balloons with their string entangled in trees and bushes; almost every time I go out.
My view is that intentionally releasing balloons should be against the law.

Yanbu I've stopped balloons completely. We should know better now. Unless they can biodegrade in a day, they are still a risk to wildlife

A local rescue to here had a sea bird that died due to getting tangled in balloon twine which had a dedication card attached, they decided not to release details of it to the public as it clearly had a "fly high john etc" type message
This shows how long biodegradable balloons hang around . The balloons might take many many weeks so get ingested way before they are degraded. Often the strings etc are degradable either or equally are dangerous for a significant period

www.google.com/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/we-composted-biodegradable-balloons-heres-what-we-found-after-16-weeks-138731

As others have said biodegradable doesnt have a strict meaning. Lots of balloons just say that and dont specify how long and in what conditions that requires. Some things take weeks to years or need to be in things like carbon controlled enviroments so leaving your biodegradable cup in a wood means it wont degrade.

gabs I get the right hump with fireworks too. I litter pick and pick up lots of bits of burnt metal come November.

See also water balloon fights.

The UK litter picking group on Facebook are good for this stuff.

A nice alternative to this can be things like petals, or making leaf confetti, of even small flowers in thing like fast flowing rivers. It still gives the sense of things flowing but with much lower risk to wild life.
Seed bombs too
Lighting candles

Our local hospital did a balloon release for their annual baby loss remembrance ceremony. Obviously no one will publicly object but what on earth are they thinking?

@Shizzlestix

Better to plant something beautiful in memory? Small tree, shrub that is covered in flowers every year? So much more meaningful.

Definitely. We need to move the norm towards this type of thing instead.

[quote cortex10]Just last week [[https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/dudley/kingswinford/2020/10/17/balloons-set-to-be-released-today-in-memory-of-kingswinford-crash-victims/]][/quote]
Maybe something to do is write to the local papers, and ask them not to cover any event which includes a balloon release?