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

[flashbac]

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.

@IAmHereForTheFood

Id like to add roadside memorials to the list also.

There are a few on the country roads near us. Lots of plastic ribbons & cellophane on the bouquets & balloons that don’t ever get removed, just added to.

So dangerous to the poor wildlife.

I quite agree, what a way to be remembered, with a bunch of dead flowers in some plastic. Ghastly 😩

YANBU. It's awful an I've seen the damage to wildlife first hand (dead kestrel) People are pretty thoughtless. same with those lanterns.

@purpleneon

Imo there are worse things that we do as a society to destroy the environment than release some helium balloons.

Not ideal but if that's how someone chooses to commemorate a loved one I don't really mind!

I could say don't be a dick and go abroad every year on a plane, but many of us do more than once per year even...

I live in a farming community. The farmers round here hate balloons being released. It kills their animals.

Yes there are worse things we do to the environment, but it is a horrible thing for an animal to die from ingesting a balloon.

I can't believe that 12% of people still think it is OK to do this

@kikipie

I don’t understand how anyone still does this

Agree.

Just don't get it.

@purpleneon

Imo there are worse things that we do as a society to destroy the environment than release some helium balloons.

Not ideal but if that's how someone chooses to commemorate a loved one I don't really mind!

I could say don't be a dick and go abroad every year on a plane, but many of us do more than once per year even...

A few years ago I saw photos of farm animals hurt by balloons. You should google it.

@rrhuth

It is a really difficult topic to discuss because when someone does a balloon release to mark a sad or upsetting event, obviously that is not a time to intervene and try to change the plans.

But hopefully over time this will become a rarer practice, hopefully something less damaging can fulfill the same emotional need.

I hope so too. A lovely comment.

Helium balloons - bad for the environment, and helium is a non-renewable resource that has many better uses.

YANBU

There have been 2 balloon releases posted on our local FB group in the past fee days. I won't post on those to say this out of sensitivity for the grieving relatives but I really disagree with this. The last one was at our local country park FFS!

At our local supermarket they have a display for the 2 people commemmorated by the second balloon release where people can put flowers... much better idea.

DH knows, if I meet an untimely end, he can plant a tree or something, but no balloons!

Weird that we’ve got to a place where no one can have an opinion on anything environmental if they drive a car… where would that end…

Banning micro plastics in toothpaste, sanctioning water companies for raw sewage contamination of rivers, recycling old fridges properly etc… no? because people drive cars.

Sometimes the law needs to step up if a voluntary element isn’t working.

Agree 100% I have no idea why it's not illegal yet. Sick of seeing it on my Facebook feed all the time as well it's just a form of attention seeking.

Helium reserves being depleted and it’s going to become much more expensive for research honestly just stop wasting it on balloons

A local FB page posted about a memorial where about 30 lanterns were released. I honestly thought they had been banned. A few people commented about them, and were shot down with "they are grieving so they can do what the fuck they want" type posts.

I also hate when people do this and Chinese lanterns. A few years back someone let a load of those lanterns off at New Years and one got stuck in my neighbours tree that overhangs into my garden. Tree then set alight which my dogs barked at alerting me and my partner who were luckily at home and were able to put it out with our hose. Our neighbours were out for the night and I’m fortunate we were home as it could have easily spread from the wooden fence to our houses!

@Christmasiseverywere

Is this in relation to little Arthur if so YABSU

How on earth is this going to help Arthur? Donate to charity instead. I hate how any conversation about commemorative balloon releases always gets shut down, if people want to virtue signal they could go and volunteer for a children's charity, or donate to (eg) child line ... then they can put photos of that Facebook on instead 🙄

Education and , maybe, guidance/advertising from local authorities would be helpful here.

There are clearly some who haven't heard the message re helium balloons/Chinese lanterns etc... so maybe a more vocal opinion needs to be relayed.

Dare I also include fireworks? Yes, rockets and other spent fireworks litter the land and these too affect the wildlife, let alone the noise of them.

I want everyone who says OP IBU to go and look at the pictures of dead animals and birds

balloonsblow.org/photo-gallery-2/

It's just for the FB and Instagram photos. Absolutely bloody mindless.

And sorry if this offends but where were all those neighbours and family friends when Arthur needed them...............

Virtue signalling at its finest. Actually made me really angry to watch.

I assume you're referring to little Arthur's vigil?

I think helium balloons in this context are the least bad examples of what adults can do.

@TSSDNCOP

I assume you're referring to little Arthur's vigil?

I think helium balloons in this context are the least bad examples of what adults can do.

Why are you assuming that? There's been more than one this weekend.

@TSSDNCOP

I assume you're referring to little Arthur's vigil?

I think helium balloons in this context are the least bad examples of what adults can do.

Hear hear

@TSSDNCOP

I assume you're referring to little Arthur's vigil?

I think helium balloons in this context are the least bad examples of what adults can do.

Vigils for Arthur are little more than virtue signalling. Competitive grief. We want to leave a better planet for lads his age. You wont do that by littering it with balloons.

We all know it to be true, but when a very dear friend of mine lost her 16 year old daughter in tragic circumstances, I wasn't about to tell her what she could or couldn't do whilst she was so broken. I didn't release one myself but I did stand by as she and her other children did.

It's right that we keep talking about it though , in the hope that we are so w ell informed that even if the worst happens to our families, we don't choose this as a way to mark it.

Vigils for Arthur are little more than virtue signalling. Competitive grief.

Absolutely. I've seen many online today, all with photos of themselves with a single tear rolling down a perfectly made up and filtered face saying "Fly high angle", not one is actually looking to help, raise awareness or do anything constructive, just getting some staged photos and on line validation they are amazing 'hun'.

Why people jump onto the pain of others and compete to make the biggest show of how sad they are I have no idea.

Well actually, I'm not not with the majority on balloon releases. I hate them for the environmental damage.

I heard about this particular ballon release on the radio and thought, where were all these people when this lad was clinging to hope in an adult of any shape in his miserable, pain-filled life?

Then I thought, perhaps, maybe, a person today at the vigil or listening to the commentary might just be struck by the need to do something before, rather than after the event.

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 ❤️