Balloon releases

[Princess Kae-Leah]

The mother of the 5-year-old twin granddaughters of a family friend tragically died over a year ago, and I can tell it's been very hard on them and I have nothing but compassion for their horrible situation. However, I just can't in good conscience support or encourage the ritual they've been doing for their mom on her birthday and yesterday for Valentine's Day: sending mylar balloons "up to heaven" by releasing them.

Releasing balloons is just terrible for the environment, as many released balloons end up in the ocean and harm and kill wildlife, and it takes a long time for them to biodegrade. I don't want to rain on their parade, especially considering the circumstances it could come off as very disrespectful and insensitive to try to get them to do an alternative, but I just can't shake the fridge horror of knowing what on the surface seems to be a very sweet thing might very well kill sea creatures.

I'm also a bit of a hypocrite because the truth is balloons are my guilty pleasure. I would NEVER release them and I try my best to dispose of them as responsibly as possible, but I do buy balloons occasionally, such as for my birthday, and I do love seeing balloons at the store and at car dealerships. I also admit that I did this same ritual as a kid at least once, but I can't shake the mindset of "we should know better now".

Ultimately, I understand that what they choose to do is not my business to decide, but still, I wish there was something I could do to save more sea creatures from being killed. What should I do?

[Merman Storm]

See if you can shift them to rubber balloons. They decay faster, although they are still damaging (especially if something eats one).
See if you can shift them to using light. Flashlights or laser pointers (not at aircraft!) and so on.

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Yes, latex balloons are certainly the lesser of two evils. They do biodegrade eventually. I like the flashlight idea too. Thanks for responding <3

[Merman Storm]

A green laser pointer at night is quite impressive and fun. You can see the beam for hundreds of feet as the light scatters off dust.

[Little_Orca]

I always hated releasing balloons when I was a kid. I remember once when I was asked why by an adult, I went on a very long stream-of-conciousness rant about the balloon popping and a fish eating it and choaking then a dolphin eating that and dying, and so on. They called me weird... but HA! Who is the weird one, now?

*eats ice cream with chopsticks in a mermaid tail.*

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Some neat ideas a friend gave me in a PM on FB:
*whispering messages to your loved one into a dandelion
*blowing bubbles
*releasing rose petals of your loved one's favorite color into the wind
*writing messages on paper and releasing them into the wind

[Theobromine]

You're right, balloons are incredibly destructive for the environment. There are plenty of articles and studies that demonstrate this very clearly (as I'm sure you are aware). But it's also very true that it's hard to bring the issue up in that tragic situation.

Look up eco-friendly candle lanterns/sky lanterns. Lighting a candle for a lost loved one is a pretty well-recognized tradition, and there are little colorful paper lanterns that you can release that are much safer for the environment than any balloons. And honestly I think they're prettier (think that scene in Tangled). You could probably suggest it to them as an idea and make it sound like a positive rather than a negative: "look at these beautiful lanterns, wouldn't she have loved these? I think they look very special and meaningful" or something along those lines.

[Theobromine]

Example: http://www.skylanterns.us/Memorial-S...erns-s/126.htm

[Spindrift]

You're right, balloons are incredibly destructive for the environment. There are plenty of articles and studies that demonstrate this very clearly (as I'm sure you are aware). But it's also very true that it's hard to bring the issue up in that tragic situation.

Look up eco-friendly candle lanterns/sky lanterns. Lighting a candle for a lost loved one is a pretty well-recognized tradition, and there are little colorful paper lanterns that you can release that are much safer for the environment than any balloons. And honestly I think they're prettier (think that scene in Tangled). You could probably suggest it to them as an idea and make it sound like a positive rather than a negative: "look at these beautiful lanterns, wouldn't she have loved these? I think they look very special and meaningful" or something along those lines.

I love this idea!!!

[Mermaid Momo]

You're right, balloons are incredibly destructive for the environment. There are plenty of articles and studies that demonstrate this very clearly (as I'm sure you are aware). But it's also very true that it's hard to bring the issue up in that tragic situation.

Look up eco-friendly candle lanterns/sky lanterns. Lighting a candle for a lost loved one is a pretty well-recognized tradition, and there are little colorful paper lanterns that you can release that are much safer for the environment than any balloons. And honestly I think they're prettier (think that scene in Tangled). You could probably suggest it to them as an idea and make it sound like a positive rather than a negative: "look at these beautiful lanterns, wouldn't she have loved these? I think they look very special and meaningful" or something along those lines.

Be careful with the lanterns. Some have wire in them that are dangerous to birds and planes and as I found out (I was thinking of doing a Lantern release at my wedding before canceling) they're illegal in some states

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I can't remember what nationality does it, but they float little candle lit boats on the outgoing tide. They use tiny candles, the kind for birthday cakes, and the boat is made of paper.

[Merman Dan]

Be careful with the lanterns.

Kinda like Paper Lanterns Set Cell Tower On Fire ??

[LouLouBelle]

I can't remember what nationality does it, but they float little candle lit boats on the outgoing tide. They use tiny candles, the kind for birthday cakes, and the boat is made of paper.

I love the thought of that.

I would never ever risk using a sky lantern...

http://www.surreycommunity.info/elst...try_id=7301272

[SeaGlass Siren]

I can't remember what nationality does it, but they float little candle lit boats on the outgoing tide. They use tiny candles, the kind for birthday cakes, and the boat is made of paper.

Japan does it to honour the deceased. Vietnamese do it for the lantern festival. Sometimes the lanterns are shaped like flowers.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Japan does it to honour the deceased. Vietnamese do it for the lantern festival. Sometimes the lanterns are shaped like flowers.

There ya go! The Great Seaglass and her infernal knowledge!

[Echidna]

actually, it's an old chinese custom:

http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/Traditions277bye1259.html

I don't think there is anything that Japan didn't copy from China

The sky lanterns are also a chinese invention (the very name is a direct translation), though those were mainly used for military purposes in ancient China.

[SeaGlass Siren]

Yeah but literally everything came from China :Pthe first print, the first ice cream, spaghetti :P it's no surprise that most Asian countries adopt and use most of the same practices China does.

Though now I'm pretty sure Vietnam does it because they look super
pretty. (I know this because Vietnamese shallow :P lol)

[SeaGlass Siren]

I think it's more of "who is also practicing it now"

thailand is also doing the floating lanterns.

[Merman Arion]

actually, it's an old chinese custom:

http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/Traditions277bye1259.html

I don't think there is anything that Japan didn't copy from China

The sky lanterns are also a chinese invention (the very name is a direct translation), though those were mainly used for military purposes in ancient China.

[AniaR]

The first rubber balloons were made by Professor Michael Faraday way back in 1824. Toy balloons were first introduced by pioneer rubber manufacturer Thomas Hancock. Vulcanized toy balloons were first manufactured by J.G. Ingram of London in 1847.



http://www.humantouchofchemistry.com...ns-evolved.htm <- also an interesting history on balloons