I do wish people stop releasing helium balloons and Chinese lanterns for celebrating/remembering people

[Mokel]

Balloons and Chinese do not go to heaven. They travel up to 3 miles in the sky and travel for miles. Then land in the sea, a field or on powerlines.

Then wildlife and farm animals are attracted by these and try to eat them. They die.

In addition helium is a finite resource needed for medical applications. Pissing it away frivolously is wrong.

Yanbu, it’s just littering with extra steps. Dh has pulled memory balloons out of the sheep fields, luckily we haven’t had any deaths from them but we know of farmers who have.

Balloon releases are the pitts, so environmentally damaging. I’m not sure that an animal choking to death on a discarded balloon is the best way to remember someone.

I hate it and have unfriended people because of it.

It's an awful thing to do. I would have been appalled if people had done it when my ds died.

YANBU but as I said on a similar thread a month or so ago it'll never change because once you call it out to people on things like local FB groups you'll get shouted down by many who were involved with it.

YANBU but I don’t think calling people out on it when they’re in the process of organising it will work, because they’ll be upset anyway due to their bereavement.

Ideally it would just be banned but if not, it needs some kind of campaign to raise awareness, but not linked to a specific event.

TBF it's a different grade helium. But people who do these balloon releases are morons.

I have a real bee in my bonnet about helium balloons - helium is a finite resource & needed for medical purposes yet people waste it on balloons that get thrown away after a few days.

Releasing anything - balloons, lanterns, whatever - for any reason is deplorable & disgusting I'd be happy for it to be illegal (along with noisy fireworks)

There’s an excellent organisation, I think based in the US, that campaigns. Currently they’re only on Facebook.

They suggest alternative ways to cope with grief but I’ve not been able to post their pictures of alternatives

It’s a shame the lanterns are so destructive as they look beautiful as they float up into the blue yonder. But obviously that is neither here nor there given the damage they do and obviously they and helium balloons should be banned.

These are the suggestions

I agree, there are far more eco-friendly ways to remember a loved one.

I'd also like to ban those horrible disposable barbeques as well.

Floating litter

Floating litter

Releasing sky lanterns is banned across Wales on council owned or controlled land and half of our local authorities have the same rule in place for helium balloons. I'd like the next Welsh Government to legislate for a Wales-wide ban on both.

Love all the planting ones, feels a much better way to honour someone.

We had this subject only a month or so ago and I mentioned my disgust for people releasing doves on that thread also.

Should be treated the same as flytipping & the offenders fined.

A group of teenagers did this in Guildford a few weeks ago as a memory to a friend that passed. The school & police supported them by providing balloons.

The blue balloons are scattered in the countryside & roadsides. We lost a 2 week old calf who choked on one.

We have literally just had this thread.

Yep, definitely shouldn’t be allowed. I dreaded New Year’s Eve, having to pick up those bloody lanterns people used to celebrate from the horses field. Thankfully we kept the horses stabled at night during winter months. Can you imagine how freaked out they’d be with one of those landing, horses are fickle at the best of times, 🤦‍♀️

Years ago, I saw a lantern land on someone's head in a very crowded glastonbury festival. I saw her hair burn and the screams were dreadful. Another time I saw one land on train tracks and stopped the trains for hours. I'm surprised they aren't banned.

I agree OP.

Same here with the disposable BBQs. Many supermarkets and other retailers stopped selling them in 2023 due to the dry hot summer. That would’ve been perfect time to
ban them

I’m so sorry for your loss of the poor calf 😢😢😢.

Did you contact school and the police who provided the balloons?

I was thinking, if you could’ve contacted the local newspaper, but it’s a tricky one I guess?

Are people just stupid or ignorant? I don’t know 🤷🏻‍♀️ but they need to be made aware of the devastation it causes to animals. Sick of selfish people!

Omg 😮😮😮