AIBU to object to balloon and lantern memorial releases for environmental reasons ?

[Ihsk]

I do wish people would stop releasing balloons in tribute to lost loved ones.

Balloons don’t up to heaven. They travel a few miles and usually land in a farmer’s field. Where animals eat the balloon and get very ill or die.

This method is a cruel and other creatures can die.

Also still can get Chinese lanterns online. Anyone setting these off now are idiots. Forest fires

Yours is probably just a goady post, but in case you are serious, why do you feel the need to remember your loved one by trashing the landscape? You might as well carry out a ceremonial emptying of your black bin into the local river on every occasion, or hang litter from a memorial tree.

And when your child/grandchild is desperately ill or dying and needs an MRI but can't get one because Helium is in such short supply, how will you feel then? Helium is a finite resource like some people's brain cells and we're wasting it, littering the countryside with fucking balloons!

Interesting that you are happy to admit that you aren’t bothered about fires and killing animals for your own selfish purposes and that you appear to find it funny.

I am sure that your loved one would be proud.

Yep. They literally kill animals. And while we’re at it can people not let off fireworks as a memorial unless it’s in a supervised, safe environment.

A group of people let off fireworks as a memorial this weekend and have caused a huge fire on the moors near me which is still going 3 days later. So irresponsible.
Thankfully they were stupid enough to film it and post it all over social media. One of them has already been arrested.

It might make some people that hadn’t thought much about it before think twice about doing it in the future?

Council byelaws are legally enforceable.

One of the most moronic posts I've seen on MN.

You keep adding a bit more fuel to rage-bait the thread, but I don't believe you. No one is THIS thick.

Of course there are - plant a tree instead!

Good luck with that 👍

That is a lovely idea, actually 😊

I actually think you're just trolling us. Nobody is that dim that they disrespect their loved ones multiple times a year. You must have really hated them to kill in their name.

Funny little tradition but fitting for people you didn't like i suppose

Haha! This is so oddly specific that I’m guessing you have someone in mind?!

Using the word chavs is very patronising. Says alot about you.

Judging by the amount of balloons that are still released - people really are this thick!

Can't get attention anywhere but online I expect.

Nobody is that dim

Are you new to Mumsnet?

Tell me you’re a selfish twat without saying ‘I’m a selfish twat’.

I agree with a previous poster who said it was a chavvy thing to do.
In my opinion, people who let off helium/any balloons "to float up to heaven" or chinese lanterns (or fireworks for that matter) are just too stupid to understand why it's a bad idea, and far too thick and obstinate to listen to reason.

Maybe we need to teach this sort of stuff in school so that the kids can educate the parents?

Should be illegal. There's no benefit, only harm. Can't believe people try and justify it.

These are banned where I am for environmental and safety reasons.

OMG you are actually serious!
I thought your first post was just sarcasm.

I am dumbfounded.

I'm so relieved that and slightly disappointed that finally someone understands that this is a total wind up, why are people feeding this 😭.
They are bored as fck and are absolutely p!ssing themselves laughing at us.

It all feels very performative to me - and of course looks good for social media likes. These types of things should be illegal. I lost loved ones and have easily managed to come up with ways to honour their memory that don’t inflict harm on nature and wildlife. And actually, all of my loved ones would deeply have disapproved of me doing anything harmful to anyone or anything else.

Peter Kay rips the piss out of people like this

" I saw that quaver packet wafting across the graveyard after the service and I just knew he was with us . . . he loved quavers" 😄

Potentially killing animals/damaging the countryside isn’t really a great way of celebrating / what about planting a tree/bush etc?