It was on a beautiful, sweltering August day in Switzerland, about 20 years ago, that my little sister got married. The ceremony took place outdoors in my parent's orchard on the hilly countryside. After a brief speech by my dad, and a musical prélude by my nieces, the 50 attending wedding guests released 50 red, shiny balloons into the azure blue sky. We watched with cheers and joy as the gas-filled bags disappeared behind the dark forest and became tiny dots on the horizon.
To each balloon, a message was attached with the friendly request to please return the postcard with the location and name of the finder. A few weeks later, the newlyweds got 3 returned postcards from 3 different locations, the furthest from a little town 25 miles away.
What happened to the other 47 balloons released into the sky? Nobody gave it any thought.
Fast forward to the year 2021. Again a beautiful day with an azure blue sky. This time on a beach somewhere on the North Shore of Long Island. With a small group of volunteers, I participated in a beach cleanup day. We were armed with big plastic bags and silently collected waste off the pristine shore. A few soda caps, some styrofoam cups, a handful of plastic forks, you name it… But to my biggest surprise, one of the most collected items was deflated latex and foil balloons with long strings attached. They were mostly tangled up in seaweed, driftwood, or knotted up on beach grass.
Where did they come from? Some of them most likely crossed State borders, forests, and highways.
What kind of parties were celebrated? A kid's birthday? A graduation? A store opening celebration? A street parade? A wedding?
According to balloonsblow.org, which provides information to educate people about the destructive effects of released balloons, latex balloons are the type most commonly found in the stomachs of dead animals. Countless creatures mistake the spent balloons for food, resulting in starvation and death.
This litter is totally preventable, yet millions of balloons are intentionally released every year.
I did some research on how to recycling those little blimps and called a couple of party supply stores. My question was: “Can used balloons be recycled? Do you have a recycling program for latex and foil balloons?” The answer, with a hint of annoyance, was always a simple “No.”
Stay away from latex balloons! The claim that they are “biodegradable” is just a marketing gimmick. Yes, natural latex may be biodegradable, but after adding chemicals, plasticizers, and artificial dyes, how natural could they be?
Are there any alternatives to balloons? Yes, there are!
Be creative when decorating your next party. Instead of purchasing balloons, how about paper or fabric garlands, Japanese paper balloons, lanterns, or solar-lit mason jars? Instead of marking your special ceremony with releasing balloons, plant a tree together or create artwork with everyone’s participation.
If you really do need balloons, buy the foil ones. After each use, you can deflate them and reuse them. Insert a straw into the inflation point and carefully let the helium out. Fold it flat and store it away. When ready to use again, party stores will only charge you for the helium.
Never release balloons into the air - When balloons fly, creatures die!