AIBU to beg for no more balloon releases

[Newspeaker]

Why is it that at the times of the worst tragedy so many people still think it is OK to release dangerous litter into the sky? Surely in every group who plan these events there will be at least one person who understands the implications and can push for an alternative?
That's it really. Don't tell me people need to grieve - there are plenty of other ways to signal your grief, if you feel the need to do that. Does anyone want the memorial to their loved one be tainted by - just one real life example - a dead donkey foal with a balloon and the string in her gut? It seems particularly ironic that our young people can be so vocal about environmental issues, and yet they still flock to buy the balloons and take part in these releases.
It just breaks my heart to see this, knowing that the odds are some animals will suffer or die from our thoughtlessness, and yet again the land will be littered.

Any time someone posts about this they get accused of bad timing and insensitivity. Caring about our environment and feeling deep sadness for tragic losses aren't mutually exclusive. We have to find some time to speak up, because however much we do, it still happens.

One of the many accident sites I pass regularly has had daffodils planted. It is a lovely display each year.

There isn't one person here who can be "blameless" but we can all do our best. School runs don't feature in my life but I don't sit with an idling engine for long periods of time. My car switches itself off actually, which was a feature I wanted. I walk or ride my horse (LOL!) to the village for shopping and have also ridden my horses to the pub. I have concerns about fully electric cars, but I've got reasonably sensible vehicles that meet the London Mayor's emissions criteria. I do a lot of "local shopping" and we eat a lot of home-grown produce. In saying that I think it's fair to acknowledge privilege. I'm in the very fortunate position of having been able buy new cars, and to buy more expensive local and more ethical products. It's not so easy to care for the environment when living hand to mouth - I know, I've been there.

The thing about balloon releases, and Chinese lanterns for that matter, is that they are so obviously stupid things to do, potentially cause so much harm, and it's so easy to just not do them or take part in them. Once someone is aware of how completely shit they are they might at least be able to influence others not to organise them. Wrestling with planet-wide issues isn't quite so simple.

I agree, OP. It's so depressing.

Apart from the environmental risk I find all the balloons and plastic-covered bouquets very performative. There ARE other ways to grieve, as you say. A candle-lit vigil or collection for charity instead of all the flowers. But it has to be a big performance.

We never used to have all this attention seeking nonsense. Balloons and lanterns released harm wildlife and litter the countryside...why do it?

What sort of halfwit thinks that's good?

If you want to remember someone, just say a prayer, give a speech or sing a song.🙄

I understand roadside memorials.
There is one near Wembley Ikea, at a big crossing. There is a picture of a boy in laminated plastic. It has definitely made me think twice about quickly running across the second crossing. Its also a good deterrent for other children my own included.

No, it is going to do something. It's not something I've ever much thought about or planned to do but now I know to definitely never do it or support it. Thanks op for raising awareness about this.

There are loads of suggestions for environmentally safe ways to celebrate a life or mourn a loss on this thread. No need for loads of research to be done.
It's a shame people don't have the intelligence and conscience to stop using these products without having someone offer them options on a plate. But I guess it's very hard to change stupid.

This country is full of entitled, brain dead, uneducated morons, so good luck stopping them doing whatever they like, when they like.

Good point. It’s true that this is something that is damaging but we could definitely live without.

Could spreading wildflowers seeds be a nice alternative gesture?

They can be. There was a balloon release some weeks ago for a lovely young lady who died suddenly and tragically. I know one of her friends because I loan a horse to him. He's a right bloody eco warrior when he is posting on FB and yet he was also posting soulful photos of himself with his balloons, and the release.

Neither of us know percentages, but people are capable of really putting the blinkers on when it suits them.

...or turtles, or dolphins, or seals, all of whom mistake these balloons for jellyfish, swallow them and then die because they either can't breathe and suffocate, or the thing blocks their intestines and they starve to death.

@LovelyLovelyWarmCoffee definitely spreading wildflower seeds is a lovely idea. A few people have mentioned it. How lovely if when you drove past the place where someone lost their life you saw some beautiful flowers, rather than some rotting trinkets.

I throw carefully selected handfuls of wildflower seeds in suitable spots when I'm out riding. 🙂

I need to tell the head at school about this. The school where I work buy those caterpillar kits for each class every spring.

I had to google the Cardiff incident as don't watch TV- and it looked like a riot-
Good luck to anyone trying to 'Educate' a mass of people like that that balloon releases are a terrible idea.

All the coloured flares as well, and burning cars-

I was shocked to see two kids riding an almost ''Motorbike'' that looked like it was made for one with no protective headgear.

I used to live near a place where kids used to ride small motorbikes /mopeds in TB horse's fields- One kid came off quite badly- I ran up to him, he asked if it was my field {It wasn't}..I asked if he was ok- and advised that a head is a vulnerable thing.
They were oblivious to the horses as well.

Not so, as latex balloons kill animals and marine life, too. No one needs to be releasing balloons into the environment- as others have said it's 'Performative' and what goes up, must come down.

I hate them! I picked loads up from a farm lonning near me, we live in a coastal town so maybe the wind just happens to bring them there. Balloons don't go to heaven!! Plant native wild seed bombs instead and get an annual reminder of your loved ones! Balloon releases are mainly for Facebook likes than the actual 'sentiment' these days.

Overly emotive much op. With all that's going on in the world balloon releases break yor heart. OK then.

No i think unecessary deaths and pain caused in living breathing creatures is what is breaking the op's heart when selfish humans don't give a shit.

Two pricks on one thread.

As I’ve said before - most of us find it possible to care about more than one thing at a time. 😎
You’re so cool aren’t you? Not caring about the little things like littering the countryside and the suffering and deaths of animals. Clearly you are unable to be concerned about the little things, it’s good that others have that capacity.

That's so fucked up, I can't actually believe it is allowed. That's why it genuinely didn't occur to me that this was what they were. I thought people were complaining about a lot of innocent little paper lanterns hanging off trees!

But it's not "the one thing" people do when grieving - why would you say that? People grieved long before the advent of balloon releases.

And why do you say OP has "started" on this issue? People have been pointing fingers at littering and idling in cars for years and the OP is among them.

There will always be someone grieving somewhere, so does that mean the clear negatives of this practice must never be addressed?

NFU Petition

I've found a Petition by the Farmers Union to try and get the Chinese Lanterns band, apparently they are also known as Sky Lanterns.

''Fascinating Horror'' on you tube showed how fatal these wretched balloon releases were to chaos and one certain death of a human. {Never mind animals}

Roughly translated: "BP spilt some oil in the Gulf of Mexico and therefore I should be free to kill as many baby donkeys as I please."