Stop Launching Balloons Into the Sky
Where exactly do balloons fall when you launch them into the sky? We now know this answer, and unfortunately it is not pretty at all.
Between 2008 and 2016, 630,000 balloons were discovered during a coastal cleanup organized by Ocean Conservancy . They have become especially dangerous for marine life, who become entangled in the strings of balloons or confuse balloons with food (and, as a result, suffocate and die).
Balloons are rarely recyclable. Most are made from mylar (shiny metallic-looking balloons made from a combination of plastic and nylon) or latex, and many recycling businesses do not accept either.
So what do you do with all those balloons in the end of the party? It’s simple: throw them in the trash can. Or reuse them. The balloons can be easily deflated and returned to your local party store for replenishment.
Also, don’t be fooled by marketers who claim that latex balloons are a “green” alternative to mylar. Although latex balloons are considered biodegradable , they do degrade after a few years, which continues to pose serious environmental problems.
Want to do even more? Lobby your local politicians to ban the release of balloons altogether.
Some lawmakers are actively trying to ban mass balloon launches (those responsible in East Hampton, New York, face a $ 1,000 fine or 15 days in prison). If you want to avoid jail time and help the environment, weigh your balloons so they don’t fly away – and end up landing in the ocean.