Today conservationists from the Marine
Conservation Society of the UK are trying
to draw attention to the issue of mass balloon releases, saying that it is
especially harmful to aquatic ecosystems. They are trying to raise awareness by
joining with RSPCA, RSPB, National Farmers Union, Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep
Wales Tidy, Encams and many more to have events such as the "don't let
go! - bbc breakfast" in an effort to get this practice banned.

When I was in middle school in the late 80's I remember having an event
where it was discussed that every student would get a balloon to let go, and
release into the air. At that time the school was told that they couldn't do
that because there was a law against it because the balloons ended up killing
wildlife and littering the environment.

Fast forward 20 years and it appears that these
mass balloon releases are being allowed based on the idea that the
non-metallic, biodegradable balloons are not bad for the environment.
Apparently these balloons biodegrade in the presence of air in about 6 months.
So I guess that it's not considered littering or dangerous to wildlife if something
disintegrates in 6 months? What happens if an animal eats the balloon before
then you ask? They die.

Another problem arises when these "eco
friendly" balloons end up in the ocean where they will then take around 12
months to disintegrate. Whether a balloon takes 6 months or 12 months, they
stay intact in an animal's stomach and intestines long enough to cause death by
starvation. The matter of how long a balloon takes to biodegrade doesn't really
matter when a bird or animal eats one, or is entangled by the foreign object,
as it will surely die if this occurs. 

Are mass balloon releases even worth the risk? They're not even that cool,
and how many people a few months later will even remember it and say to their
friend "hey, remember all those balloons?".

As a child this ban made perfect sense, yet it still is occurring and
hurting wildlife and the environment for a brief moment of shallow enjoyment.
Hopefully the Marine
Conservation Society will be successful in their battle and have this
practice banned in their locals.  

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