End sky litter

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A net load of balloons has ended up in the top branches of an oak tree overlooking South Undercliff, most likely by accident, but surely without any care shown for the environment.

Balloons pose a deadly danger to animals, which can mistake them for food says the RSPCA. The society is currently running a campaign, asking people to email their local council urging them to implement a ban on the release of sky lanterns and balloons.

Caring for the planet is also the concern of another organisation by the name of Balloons Blow. Whilst manufacturers may claim that the balloons are biodegradable, it has been established that latex balloons are the type most commonly found in the stomachs of dead animals.

Many people are beginning to recognise that humans need to reduce their footprint on the natural world. The popularity of nature conservation programmes indicates this growing awareness that resources and indeed the world is finite  Balloons have a place indoors for children’s parties, but outdoors they are a menace and disrespectful to nature.

Image Credits: Kenneth Bird .

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4 COMMENTS

  1. I couldn’t agree more, Kenneth. My heart sinks every time I find these foil balloons marring ancient woodlands in Udimore. What goes up does come down… I have an idea where the balloons I find come from, and do wish venues would encourage people not to use this airborne trash to mark an occasion. This is, after all an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I call it ‘festive fly-tipping’…

  2. There are environmentally friendly options to latex balloons indoors though too, such as japanese paper balloons or honeycomb paper balls or tissue paper pompoms. The balloons blow website is excellent for giving alternative ways of marking an occasion. Helium balloons are especially bad, as they use up helium, a precious and finite resource, as well as allowing balloons to travel huge distances.
    Ideally, latex balloons should be banned outright by Government, it should not have to be a local council issue.

  3. Meteorological weather balloons cause problems too. Animals and birds become entangled, strangled, choked and starved by all types of balloons and other litter blown from landfill into the sea, etc. It is a worldwide problem and without wishing to be gloomy, my feelings are that whatever we do will be too little too late.

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