It may seem like a harmless act at first. Better yet, a juvenile and fun one; letting your balloon fly into the sky. Surely, watching it fly away and become smaller as it dips further and further up into the atmosphere is a heart-lifting, and nostalgic experience. Especially as a child, watching your balloon fly away can mean something peaceful: new beginnings, a sign of good fortune, joy in experiences. All of this is very much understood, but letting your balloon fly is just as equal to any other form of litter.
A couple days ago, I spent time with my family at the 80th annual Pulaski Day Parade in New York City. The parade was wonderful, but one thought stuck with me for the duration of that time; how many balloons are they going to let fly like that? The numbers were insane; balloon after balloon made it’s way towards the sky and into the skyscrapers surrounding it. The sad thought constructed a moment later; those who released the balloons will see only where it was potentially going, but not necessarily where it would definitely end up. Don’t we as people love to see the journey of something when the only direction it can go in is up? But space shuttles eventually return to the soil, and so do balloons.
(Above: A screech owl caught hanging from a balloon ribbon.)
The website Balloons Blow is an organization dedicated to spreading awareness on the seemingly harmless act. On their site, they state that “the amount of balloons and balloon pieces found on the beach have tripled in the past ten years.” Not only has the number of balloons tripled, but it is important to keep in mind that some of these balloons were not found in plain sight, but in the insides of precious sea creatures.
Check out the website here: https://balloonsblow.org/
The facts are horrific and heartbreaking, and the images excruciating to look at and disturbing to anyone with a soul. It is rare that a group of people celebrating will think of the consequences of such a simple action, but in reality, it is time to make this issue a known issue. That way, any animal or environment in harm’s way can avoid a fate so horrific, all because of a simple fly away.
Unfortunately, balloons are in no way biodegradable, meaning once they land in the water or land that they have been headed towards, they remain their deflated latex self. Even so-called “biodegradable latex balloons” remain intact just long enough to harm a living creature once it lands. A study from The Washington Post states that 90% of all sea turtles have consumed a form of debris in the ocean. This fact can not be seen as inefficient in any sort of way, as our sea environment is on an edge at the moment, and any help that can be given to these creatures should be given.
As well as ingestion in our Earth’s waters, balloons make their way towards our forests and habitats of many land animals; creating disturbance in their everyday lives. Balloon strings become tangled in their legs or wings and, sometimes, even cause suffocation. Because of the simple act of letting these latex monsters fly, animals are suffocating, or becoming restricted of mobility possibly for the rest of their lives.
(Above: A seal found tangled in balloon ribbon)
Overall, if our world is looking towards a better, and cleaner future for our planet, we mustn't overlook the actions that could easily make a huge difference in this environment. Balloons are a wonderful and fun decoration to include in parties, parades, and celebrations in general; we do not need to get rid of them completely. However, if you have a balloon, or obtain a balloon for any sort of event, please- keep it away from the sky, and most of all, think of the Earth.
And don’t even get me started on sky lanterns.
