... to feel really angry every time I see balloons being released into the sky

I can't imagine the pain in losing a child and I can understand the symbolism of releasing a balloon (especially in helping children understand).

However, this is not a long standing tradition. I do not condemn anyone who did this in the past but it has now been revealed to be harmful to wildlife and I think there must be a more environmentally friendly way of expressing feelings.

I am truly sorry for your loss rafichagran. I hope T's mother receives the support she needs during this time of bereavement.

We will agree to disagree, as you say.

But children can play with balloons and take them home from parties without releasing them, surely. We weren't allowed to release ours.

I would be happy to see all plastic bags banned, but I do feel children should be allowed balloons, as long as they do not release them.

The sky isn't full of balloons .

Of course it isn't. What goes up, must come down!

I am going to leave this thread now, I clearly do not agree with other posters and they do not agree with me.
I just want to say that the baloon release meant a lot to T's Mother, but please think about what you all do before condemning others especially if you drive, go on long haul flights, smoke, eat meat, or any of the other things that are bad for the planet. Letting of a symbolic balloon should not cause this righteous indignation. Thank you to you anja what you put simply is true.

We run a charter boat off the coast of Anglesey and frequently see half-submerged helium birthday balloons far out at sea. Seabirds peck at them and we’ve caught fish with bits of these balloons in their stomach. We now carry a large keep-net to collect them but my view is the balloons need to be banned and more environmentally friendly alternatives found

No Monica unless you have personally experienced what she is trying to explain you cannot truly understand, try though doubtless you do.

My point is there was no need for anyone to come back at her on this by constantly referring to her. Points could, and should, have just continued to be made for and against without, what seems to me, an attack on a grieving woman.

You actually name her four times in your reply to me.

OMG. I said this kind of thing on Mumsnet years ago. (Apricity's post there)

Came down on me like a ton of bricks they did. You'd think people would know by now. I do think a lot of people have realised about the potential damage.

No. However you want you dress it up as an innocent expression of emotion it is not that. Releasing balloons into the sky is not a sign of love, bereavement, care or whatever emotion you want to attach to it. It is pollution entirely created and driven by commercial interests.

Just where do people think the the deflated gobs of plastic or latex go? Out of sight, out of mind? Someone elss's backyard? The sea? They do not magically disappear. They linger, they poison and they pollute. An expression of love? I don't think so.

We only have one backyard - the Earth, our Earth, our shared backyard, our shared future. And if you don't care for your own sakes then please care for our precious grandchildren's sakes because they are the ones who will be dealing with all this crap. Literally.

People have celebrated events and mourned loved ones and achievements for thousands of years without balloons. Please think about that.

Every right to be angry, MamaC.

Would it have been such a bloody hardship for the perpetrator to have taken them home and binned them?

Apparently, yes.

Well, what goes around comes around......

In ten years’ time, though I am unlikely to see it, there will be astonishment at the knowledge of how many helium balloons have been sent on their way to wildlife habitats. I sincerely hope so anyway.

Anja others can understand and do understand the symbolic meaning of raficha's balloon release, if raficha's balloon release was the only one, it might be acceptable, but there are thousands of raficha's out there all letting loose balloons as a symbolic gesture at a very sad time - and that is the problem. The symbolic gesture is killing wildlife and other animals and polluting the sea. Do raficha and the thousands of others want to to have dead wildlife and a pollutted sea as a memory of their loved one? Why not have a woodland burial, leave your precious one among trees and wildlife and plant a tree or trees to remember them. Balloons are for minutes, trees are forever.

Totally agree with this post - “But I cannot see how causing certain pollution and potential death to innocent wildlife out of sight makes the loss of a precious human life more endurable. Two wrongs really don't make a right comes to mind.”
MOnica - everything you said is spot on.
If people want and need to do something symbolic, they should do something that does not cause needless suffering to wildlife. If children saw the resulting dead birds and animals, whose death they had caused, would they still feel comforted by their actions?

I agree about those poor white doves which have become little earners for their breeders and which soon after their 'setting free' become food for cats and foxes.

I think people are only just becoming aware of the damaging effect balloons have on the environment - and some probably still don't know. The trouble is, there are so many products now that people have become accustomed to which are bad for the environment. Apparently most wet wipes contain plastic and, although some are claimed to be biodegradable that has been reported as being misleading.

Individuals will hopefully decide for themselves not to purchase these sorts of products. The thing is, we don't really have the luxury of time to start changing our behaviour because the problem is increasing by the minute. Perhaps, as with plastic straws, cotton buds and stirrers, governments may need to lead the way on this - starting with mounting campaigns to raise awareness but possibly more pro-active measures will be required.

I'm not in favour. They end up harming wildlife or hung in trees too far up for anyone to remove and there for years, getting tattier and tattier.
I don't agree with bunches and bunches of flowers in cellophane, candles, balloons and toys left at the scene of accidents in all weathers either.

I agree balloons will have to go with all other unnecessary luxuries which are made using finite natural resources. I too feel fearful when I see people behaving unaware of the looming catastrophe.

HappyYogi I'm in total agreement with you. I hate the release of balloons, Chinese Lanterns (before the ban, these were actually a cause in some property fires as well as being polluting) also beware of plastic which holds beer/soft drink cans together in packs.

Before anybody shouts at me for being a hypocrite, yes I drive a small petrol car, no bus pass until 2021 if they still exist, bus/taxi fares are prohibitive here so I would be housebound & reliant on deliveries. I eat very little meat usually chicken or fish & lots of veg. I don't fly, only time I've flown was 26 years ago, short haul.

I recycle as much as possible & upcycle, re-use, pass on to reduce what is sent to landfill. My milk is delivered in glass bottles, I don't use plastic bags in supermarkets/shops. I buy everything in glass bottles where possible.

I have seen lots of photos of the damage done to farm animals & wildlife, living in Rural areas all my life brings an awareness which many others don't see.

Ok back behind the barricades with my tin hat & flak jacket.

rafichagran I’m so sorry that others cannot understand the simple symbolic sense that the ballooon release brings to you and your family.

When my son died he was cremated we have an urn with a cricket memorial. But as he was not buried the first few years of his death we would buy a balloon for his birthday and take it to our local woods and let it go.we don’t do it now. But it was just a little thing we did with our gd. But she did ask not to do it anymore after a while.
We had a balloon from a school in dartford drop into our
Garden some years ago with a message, I did reply to it
They just wanted to know how far it would go.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201906/medium-31714-cc58b8cf-384c-4a4c-82c8-0405b49ee976.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201906/medium-829740-894241e4-f500-427c-9c61-8544b506212c.jpeg

On a slightly lighter note, I have a cat who seems to have a rubber fetish and who collects balloons, elastic bands and has even brought in latex gloves.

She’s brought in as many as 6 or 7 some days and has occasionally been stopped by the cat flap when the balloon has still been fully inflated.

The pictures are of her collection around a year ago although it’s more than double now. We put them all in a tub which she occasionally empties and rummages through!

I used to worry she might choke on them but she carries them in carefully, announcing loudly she’s brought a present in before she starts playing.

I know that I’m off-topic here so hope I haven’t offended anyone.

On the subject of helium balloons I heard a woman say 'Well it's ok if you release them over the sea'. Makes you want to weep - why is the sea still regarded as a dustbin or a sink by some?

I totally agree. Its terrible for the environment and the animals that live in it.
The same as Chinese lanterns. I believe they should be banned along with balloon releases!!!

cellistIf you are offended by my saying bloody and pissed report my posts and see what Gransnet says about it.
I do not need to be told by you what am I can and cannot post. Go over to Mumsnet where F... and C... are the norm, and yes you are patronising. Thankou for your comments ann60

I think doves act the same as homing pigeons and go back home. The problem with the letting out of large numbers of birds is if they are noticed by a bird of prey and end up becoming part of a feast.