Balloon littering

[300UGUY]

That is nothing compared to all the beer cans, bottles and empty fast food litter that gets thrown in my ditch.

Our county road is about 7 miles long and I live near the end that connects to a major highway, so everyone tosses their alcoholic emptys in my ditch. I need a game cam, but they'd probably shoot it if they got photo ID'd.

IMHO, the best thing the Michigan legislature ever did was pass the bottle return bill in 1972. Prior to that, we had a lot more trash on the roads. Extending it to include fast food containers has been proposed, but shot down by republicans every time.

 

[ozley]

All those balloons that float up to the sky do not just disappear - they become litter. Shouldn't people be fined for releasing balloons into the air just like the people who throw trash on the highway?

Balloon Release FAQs Biodegradable Balloons Childrens Memorials. Safe Environmentally Friendly, Grieving Parents Support Groups, Poems, Blog.
If you believe them.

 

[oldpilgrim]

All those balloons that float up to the sky do not just disappear - they become litter. Shouldn't people be fined for releasing balloons into the air just like the people who throw trash on the highway?

yeah, we need more laws.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I know the scouts use biodegradable balloons for activities.

I recall only finding one balloon that someone had released, thought it was kind of cool to find as it had a card regarding where it came from, and they wanted to see how far it went.

beer bottles and cans are a big problem here. What gets me is the guys that throw the fastfood trash in the back of their pickup, that mysteriously vanishes as they drive down the road.

 

[chad22]

When I was little I always got those types of balloons for my birthday in school. Most of them got away from me when the wind picked up and took them out of my hands on my way home. Unless it was tied to my wrist. lol

I didn't really like them anyway. And in a way glad it was gone. As I'd probably trashed it anyway after a few days when I got home with it.

I found most of mine stuck in the trees around here. One I found 11 miles away near my Grandmas house.

It's true they just don't disappear. And I do believe that they shouldn't be intentionally released into the air.

But If someone does then I really don't care if they do.

 

[txdon]

yeah, we need more laws.

NO! I specifically stayed away from any topic of NEW laws. There are already litter laws. People just need to recognize releasing balloons is the same as littering and should be enforce it as such to discourage purposely releasing litter.

 

[txdon]

Balloon Release FAQs Biodegradable Balloons Childrens Memorials. Safe Environmentally Friendly, Grieving Parents Support Groups, Poems, Blog.
If you believe them.

OK if they release the right kind of balloon (latex and do not affix anything to it). However plastic and mylar balloons are mentioned as not biodegradable - trash.
Thanks for the link.

 

[KretZ]

I know the scouts use biodegradable balloons for activities.

I recall only finding one balloon that someone had released, thought it was kind of cool to find as it had a card regarding where it came from, and they wanted to see how far it went.

beer bottles and cans are a big problem here. What gets me is the guys that throw the fastfood trash in the back of their pickup, that mysteriously vanishes as they drive down the road.

Yeah, when I was in second grade we did a project like that. We put laminated tags on the balloons asking people that found them to write or call and tell us where they found them. I think the record was one of our balloons made it from our school in Martins Ferry Ohio, 200 miles or so over into PA. I thought it was a pretty cool project, things like that are good, gets kids thinking. But I guess in reality we were just a bunch of littering miscreants! haha

 

[tractorshopper]

Did this same thing in grade-school in Michigan. Had cards attached to them with a stamp on them and asked whoever found to mail them back indicating where they were found. Can't remember how far away the longest was, but it was pretty far. I remember several made it to Ontario across the lake. Very fun project and mostly it was farmers that mailed them all back.

I pick up a lot of litter like most others, but I would be actually happy to pick up a balloon with a card and take the time to document where and mail it back. Was fun for me and my class; i'm sure it would be fun for kids today just the same.

Around here, it's the beer cans and bottles, tires, and fast food bags and wrappers that cause the heartburn.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Balloons I can handle. It's the +200 pounds of alcohol bottles and cans that end up on the sides of my road each year. You KNOW someone was drinking and driving.