Balloons Blow, Don't Let Them Go!

Harry disapproves of balloon litter on Assateague Island

If you know me well, you know I despise balloon litter. Is balloon litter the greatest environmental threat to our planet? Clearly, there are many pollution issues more dire, but I think this one vexes me because the source of this particular type of trash are often the community endorsed (and even celebrated) mass littering events know as balloon releases.

People love balloons. There is something moving about watching that colorful sphere float up into the clouds and disappear. I have felt that exhilaration---I get it. But that was before I understood that those balloons do not in fact disappear. No matter what the lobbying balloon industry wants you to believe, these balloons do not quickly degrade (and the often attached plastic curling ribbon may never degrade), and do not explode and shatter upon reaching the upper atmosphere. Would you feel equally comfortable taking a box of 1000 un-inflated latex balloons and dumping it on your favorite beach?

I was already aggravated when I found #1. By the time I reached
50 I was ready to cry.

Of the millions of balloons intentionally released annually, many will end up on the ground as ugly litter, entangled with power lines (in the case of Mylar balloons causing power outages), or strangling wildlife such as sea turtles, sea lions, sea birds, desert tortoises, bighorn sheep, or anything else that may have the misfortune of encountering them. 

Not so amazing Spiderman

I don't even know what this balloon was suppose to represent....
National Brassiere Day?

In addition to litter and wildlife endangerment issues, balloons also deplete non-renewable Helium which has many other, less frivolous uses.

In one beach walk on Assateague Island I picked up over 50 latex balloons, all with the noxious curling ribbon tangling into impenetrable knots of beach wrack. 

Somewhere---who knows where---some folks merrily released their hoard of balloons into the air and watched them float away. I'm sure they felt joy when they did so and gave little thought to where they might end up. I did not find joy at finding them on this beautiful beach. Who knows how many are still in the water waiting to entangle or choke something more sentient than sargassum weed. Balloons releases are completely selfish endeavors disguised and memorials or tributes to causes or lost loved ones. But people do it because they like the idea and, even when faced with the truth about the consequences, don't want to be bothered to reconsider their plans. You are not honoring anything by littering and killing wildlife. Come on.

For more information, please visit the excellent site, Balloons Blow or like them on Facebook. This organization, started by two determined young women from Florida, provides all the information you need to be an anti-balloon release activist. And please, when I die, plant a tree for me instead. Or better yet, pick up some litter.

Pagoo advertises for Balloons Blow. When in Albuquerque,
I was asked if I opposed the hot air balloon festival.

And one more from the Nevada high desert. Happy Birthday.