Ban balloon and paper lantern releases

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public38/images/councillor.gif

Balloon and paper lantern releases are very damaging to the environment, as unfortunately what goes up must come down!

Even the biodegradable latex balloons can still take around 1-4 years to break down. This creates a particulair issue for marine life, especially larger animals like turtles who can mistake them for jellyfish or sea birds that think it’s a tasty snack floating on the surface. The rubber then blocks their gut and sadly causes them to starve.

Wildlife can become tangled in the string from the balloons and this can even cause strangulation.

Aside from the litter created, releasing paper lanterns is also a terrible fire hazard, especially with the grass as dry as it currently is. They have a real potential to cause more wildfires!

There are many other alternatives to balloon/lantern releases such as powder cannons or remembering those who have passed by planting a tree in their memory instead, which actually enhances the environment.

We the undersigned are imploring the government to protect wildlife and reduce the risk of fires by banning these harmful activities!

Joint petition by:

Green Party Cllr Laura Edie
Christine Bates - Spirit's Rest Animal Sanctuary