Page 10 | FFS if you want to commemorate something don't be a dick and release HELIUM flipping BALLOONS!

flashbac · 2021-12-05T17:01:03+00:00

No matter how sad the occasion is or how tragic the story. Releasing helium balloons into the atmosphere is a really dickish thing to do.

Kite22 · 05/12/2021 20:59

even if the people who released the balloons didn't know about the dangers to animals, what a waste of money that could have gone to NSPCC or Barnardo's and achieved something useful

Quite

stripetop · 05/12/2021 21:02

This is an upsetting thread for me.

I was a solicitor ultimately dealing in only high level child protection cases for two decades pre children. His case has made me want to go back to work and believe me when I say, nothing has caused that feeling till now.

2 I lost eight babies and was told I would never have children, I now have two. I've had a very difficult life, with a huge amount of personal loss. Parents, siblings. I, alone but for dh.

My husband is a farmer. We live in the middle of nowhere. Nearest neighbours three miles, village, eight miles I have spent the last three years helping since at home with children. I have seen lambs hung by balloon cord. We have lost two cows whereby the autopsy shows a foil balloon in the stomach. Last week we had a full grown hill sheep suspended and tied in a bouquet of balloons and dead. Then I could start on the wildlife, a full pen of chicks smothered by them. Mother cowering in the corner. Broken leg on a deer.

Animals are inquisitive.

We are not near a town or city, the balloons travel miles. I literally mean hundreds of miles. We live up a valley so they blow and come from cities hundreds of miles away. The cards show me that.

Every time I find one I just feel more sadness, that the kindness of the act has ended with further loss. We are tenant farmers, living day to day, nobody cares about the losses, but humans will do what they need to do and not follow to the end result.

I suppose I'm saying I understand the need to grieve and the need for an outlet but I think those doing it would be sad if they saw what I see.

HeadNorth · 05/12/2021 21:04

@YouHaveAHeartOfGold

When I visit my son’s grave, I take mealworms to feed the birds. I love this idea! *@HeadNorth* it’s created a lovely tranquil image in my head of birds happily feeding around the headstones ❤️

Thank you, there is a robin that comes and is like a friend now. It does not lessen the pain, but it also does not add to the suffering of animals. When I see a butterfly I think of my son’s soul - hurting and harming nature would feel so wrong in memory of such a lovely boy.

LowlandLucky · 05/12/2021 21:12

As a non driver can i just ask the very smug non drivers on here how the hell they think the food they eat gets to their fridge or how the clothes they buy are transported to their wardrobes. When you live off the land around you, make ever stitch you wear and never wander further than you can walk/ride/swim then you can take the moral high ground.

slashlover · 05/12/2021 21:16

@LowlandLucky

As a non driver can i just ask the very smug non drivers on here how the hell they think the food they eat gets to their fridge or how the clothes they buy are transported to their wardrobes. When you live off the land around you, make ever stitch you wear and never wander further than you can walk/ride/swim then you can take the moral high ground.

This is a stupid argument.

So unless someone lives in a cave, makes their own clothes and forages in the wilderness then they can't say anything about the environment or care about animals?

ABCeasyasdohrayme · 05/12/2021 21:18

@LowlandLucky

As a non driver can i just ask the very smug non drivers on here how the hell they think the food they eat gets to their fridge or how the clothes they buy are transported to their wardrobes. When you live off the land around you, make ever stitch you wear and never wander further than you can walk/ride/swim then you can take the moral high ground.

do drivers not buy food or clothes?

3cats4poniesandababy · 05/12/2021 21:20

I can't bare reading some of these comments. I have sympathy for anyone grieving but dont make someone else grieve by releasing balloons. I have had to watch animals in pain due to your selfish pig behaviour.

There are ways to grieve and remember people without causing damage. Some great suggestions earlier in this thread

Lovemusic33 · 05/12/2021 21:21

Comparing car drivers to people that release balloons seems a bit crazy 😬. Cars are pretty important, they get people to work, school, hospital etc…, balloons on the other hand have no real use what so ever, yes children love them but if you get rid of them will children (or adults) suffer? I don’t think so.

There are many ways you can remember your loved ones, flowers, planting trees, feeding birds, decorating a grave but I know for a fact that I would hate the thought of so,done releasing a balloon in my memory knowing that it could kill a animal.

XenoBitch · 05/12/2021 21:22

@LowlandLucky

As a non driver can i just ask the very smug non drivers on here how the hell they think the food they eat gets to their fridge or how the clothes they buy are transported to their wardrobes. When you live off the land around you, make ever stitch you wear and never wander further than you can walk/ride/swim then you can take the moral high ground.

Weird comment. Driving is essential to the running of the infrastructure of the country. Releasing balloons isn't.

OnTheBoardwalk · 05/12/2021 21:35

Agree there must be safer ideas to remember people

What about bubbles although I’ve heard on MN them being called Covid parcels of doom so maybe not 😂

Rocks? Getting trees planted?

I live at top of a valley. First year Chinese lanterns were massive I had 3 land in my garden. Do the people lighting them just think they disappear? They don’t! Bloke down the road had one looped on his sky arm causing him issues. He wasn’t impressed

ErrolTheDragon · 05/12/2021 21:42

What about bubbles although I’ve heard on MN them being called Covid parcels of doom so maybe not 😂

I saw someone in a park recently making lovely big bubbles by running and 'swooshing'.

StoneofDestiny · 05/12/2021 22:27

stripetop

If your post doesn't make people stop and think about releasing balloons in the future, nothing will.

YouHaveAHeartOfGold · 05/12/2021 23:03

@HeadNorth you are clearly a thoughtful, caring person and I am sorry for your loss

YouHaveAHeartOfGold · 05/12/2021 23:05

@StoneofDestiny

stripetop

If your post doesn't make people stop and think about releasing balloons in the future, nothing will.

I agree!

user100579765 · 05/12/2021 23:07

You all seem to care about animals until you slaughter and eat them.

Outlyingtrout · 05/12/2021 23:08

I think that's pretty much exactly the point that poster was making @XenoBitch. Maybe you quoted the wrong person

ABCeasyasdohrayme · 05/12/2021 23:16

@user100579765

You all seem to care about animals until you slaughter and eat them.

You're so right, I had chicken for tea so I shouldn't worry about horses choking to death, or puppy farms, or animals that get tied to railroad tracks.

Thanks for that truly enlightening post

user100579765 · 05/12/2021 23:24

Oh I hope it was to the fact that you’re a hypocrite

Warmduscher · 05/12/2021 23:26

@user100579765

You all seem to care about animals until you slaughter and eat them.

I’m guessing it’s not that many posters who work in abattoirs. But I could be completely wrong about that

ABCeasyasdohrayme · 05/12/2021 23:47

@user100579765

Oh I hope it was to the fact that you’re a hypocrite

Yes, that's correct, there's truly no difference, none at all. Well done you, you win the internet today.

XenoBitch · 05/12/2021 23:50

@user100579765

You all seem to care about animals until you slaughter and eat them.

Caring about animals is not black/white. Are you really suggesting that you are only allowed to care abut animals when a Chinese lantern could potentially land on them?

ShaneTheThird · 06/12/2021 00:00

@user100579765

You all seem to care about animals until you slaughter and eat them.

Do you know you are totally correct. Bunch of hypocrites on here eating animals and bitching about other animals being harmed by ingesting balloons and lanterns.

At least when I eat a chicken nugget I go to the local farm first and torture the animals, burn them, choke them, strangle them and stuff balloons down their throats first.

Seemslikeagoodidea · 06/12/2021 00:01

@10yearwarranty

Agreed - balloons and chinese lanterns - both cause death. How can anyone think it's a good way to commemorate the loss of a loved one? What exactly is the mindset when there is so much awareness now of the damage done? I couldn't help cringing when they did that massive balloon release for David Amess. He seemed to be a great MP, aware of issues, I wonder if it's something he would have supported.

^^ This.

I'd like to see balloons and Chinese lanterns banned - such a needless waste of resources and such a problem for wildlife. I think they will be banned eventually, and future generations will be shocked that this form of public littering was ever condoned.

user100579765 · 06/12/2021 12:37

Go eat your chicken nuggets and stop virtue signalling on the internet as if you don’t harm animals. Have you seen videos of animals squirming because they don’t want to be slaughtered. Such privilege when you don’t have to find out how your meat is brought to your table and you have no responsibility in that lol.

user100579765 · 06/12/2021 12:47

It’s interesting how people will discuss all sorts of ways animals are abused and harmed (uselessness balloons and shitty paper lanterns) but never want to stop the one way animals are harmed the most because they don’t want to give up their tasty snacks. At least acknowledge that before virtue signalling to those of us who don’t do any of those lol.