To ask everyone to stop balloon releases

[Poscapen]

It's always difficult to comment, because people let this rubbish into the air at times of grief. But as I see a load of black balloons released in their 100's, would it be OK to ask that everyone - every single MN'er - pledge to never organise a balloon (or Chinese lantern) release and never take part in one?
We know that the balloons and the threads tied on take a varied amount of time to biodegrade (even the biodegradable ones). We know that helium is a finite resource. We know that these stupid releases kill livestock, pets and wild animals on a frighteningly regular basis. So why is it still happening? Why are we humans so stupid? Don't get me started on sending naked flames and sharp bamboo frames off into the countryside!
If we want to commemorate a lost one surely we can think about things like bee bombs instead? Would the loved one who has passed away want their legacy to be a young foal, just for example, dead because of the balloon and cord tangled in it's throat? Takes the edge off the "Fly free Grandad" label attached doesn't it?

Yes I loathe them.

Years ago BIL arranged a lantern release for FIL's death (died in his 70's from a long term condition so not young or exceptionally sudden), I didn't know until we got there and I had to bite my tongue as our relationship isn't the best anyway. BIL is very self absorbed and this was just one indication of that.

I've never bought those number balloons for birthdays either. I'm pretty sure my DC have survived unscarred from lack of photos of them grinning with a giant environmental hazard on a string.

Yeah that's below the belt

The Cardiff vigil last night for the young people killed in the recent car crash released balloons, as mentioned, but also fireworks! What's wrong with a silent vigil?

Not every one wants a silent vigil

The National Farmer's Union has been campaigning for a while.

Details are here: www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/campaigning-for-you-ban-sky-lanterns/

Because that wouldn't be as 'look at me' as balloons and fireworks would.

There's nothing at all wrong with a silent vigil, they are incredibly powerful and thought-provoking, far more than the razzmatazz griefers but, until balloons and fireworks become prohibitively expensive, they'll prevails, wreaking havoc and destruction wherever they go.

No balloons for my kids and no tolerance of others who have such little regard for wildlife and our environment. Balloon and fireworks absolutely should be banned.

Don't get me started on sending naked flames and sharp bamboo frames off into the countryside!

oh yes. I'm in Germany. My local zoo is the one that the ape house burned down on New Years Eve a few years ago (and many many apes died)

I'm afraid i don't hold back, I'm not rude, I'm not shouty but i do live in the countryside. Whenever our local FB group reports on a balloon release i just reply with "the farmers and dead animals thank your for your service" or similar. I get a load of flack for it, but also some support
(also had a VERY interesting discussion with the Greens during an election campaign as they were handing out balloons. They weren't impressed but at least our local branch haven't done it again)

Why are organised balloon releases (often trumpeted about on local newspapers ahead of time) okay, but if you drop litter in a public place you can be fined?

A young girl was tragically killed in a hit and run near me about five years ago. Every year the family and hundreds of friends have balloon releases on her birthday, anniversary of her death and at Christmas. They release literally thousands of balloons a year and we find them all over the place. But if you were to say anything, you'd be deemed insensitive.

They absolutely need to stop - there are other, kinder ways to commemorate a loved one.

You can have a vigil that's not silent, but equally doesn't include releasing potentially dangerous litter into the sky.

Flying litter!

Oh that's OK then. Let the needless dying of innocent wildlife and littering continue, so the look at me brigade can have some fun.

Absolutely agree, it should be illegal. I have seen farmers lose £70K of stock due to a Chinese lantern and animals die from ingesting balloons that get baled up in their hay. It's disgusting. Commemorate the death of a loved one by planting a tree-lasts a lot longer, or get the ashes turned into silent fireworks to fire over land (with permission) so your loved one helps nature. Throwing a load of rubber and fire into the air is mad.

Completely with you OP

Holding a candle is very meditative and beautiful and ways to do it safely for vigils

Wearing something in the favourite colour

There's just other things that can make as much visibility without destroying the environment

Yes I know this. I was just answering what is wrong with a silent vigil?

It's just performative grieving, all part of the "look at me culture".

There has been a balloon with string caught in a tall tree in our road for over 10 years, no sign of degrading at all. The sooner they are banner the better.

Why would anyone think releasing a naked flame into the blue yonder was a good idea. Stupid beyond belief.

Not being unreasonable at all and it’s not something I’ve done. It’s incredibly upsetting however to see some of the posts here talking about dead relatives and ‘saying goodbye to nana’ in such disdainful ways. And as for the bafflement as to why anyone grieving would have done this in the past, it’s not really that difficult to fathom surely? I think sticking to the facts as to why they’re not a good idea is enough. No need to cross the line the way some have done on here. If someone has done this in the past to honour, remember or grief a love one, it’s really and truly awful to try and make them feel bad about that now. It’s done. The argument is strong enough to stand alone. Leave people’s past grieving experiences and actions out of it please. It’s cruel.

Totally agree OP.

I was gping to release biogradable Chinese lanterns at my wedding, so I checked that it was allowed, which it was. But it didn’t feel right so I googled to see if it causes any problems and was 😱😱😱😱😱 at what I found re cows eating these things and dying, etc, and cancelled the idea.

Stupid idea by stupid people.

Agree and the other thing that gets me is if you want to lay flowers as a mark of respect remove the plastic wrapping 1st nothing worse than seeing a dead bunch of flowers rotting in plastic.l Which depending on location could be eaten by an animal.

I find seeing the fresh ones is worse as to me it signify that someone was in a lot of pain recently and grieving

Absolutely agree op.
Why humans have to do this is beyond me.
It's selfish to the extreme but justified by the idiots who do it by attaching sentiment to it.

I think alot of it seems to attach to the whole grief tourism - people seem to love attaching themselves to other peoples tragedies, like a real life soap opera. Balloon releases and fireworks are a nice photo opp for many of them.

I've seen people make Christmas baubles with the faces of dead children they didnt even know.

People are weird.

I've told my family I will haunt them if anything happens to me and they release balloons.

I really thought as a nation we had become more aware of the risks of these things since the Attenborough plastics campaigns, but recent news reports have proved me wrong.

I've said the same to my family. There are plenty of ways to pay respects and grieve other than releasing balloons. It's littering plain and simple. A recent journey on holiday left e utterly depressed seeing the shocking amount of rubbish on almost every roadside.Who can we lobby to get them banned ?