Balloon release sparks backlash from green groups

[davidc4430]

Balloon release at Bunbury school graduation sparks backlash from green groups

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-23/manea-school-under-fire-ballooon-release/9077260

not sure wether to laugh or cry on this one.

yes, i guess it is littering in the end...

but....really,

are they going to stop all sales of balloons next?

[brerrabbit585]

I haven't read the article but I get really annoyed at the thoughtlessness of people releasing balloons that travel for miles. One of my cows ate one and died, and she was a very valuable animal.

[icyfroth]

Balloon releases take quite toll on wildlife and domestic animals. Just like plastic shopping bags and plastic drink bottles.

How do we stop them? 

[davidc4430]

you did an autopsy on a cow?

as i said, i have mixed feelings with this story.

the selling of balloons, helium filled or blow up yourself type, has been going on for a very long time.

i doubt there is anyone reading this who hasnt had one or the other at some point, even you.

are we going to make a big deal of balloons when our govt wont even agree climate change exists?

obviously if we believe balloons should be banned, then must we not ban anything that can get into your cows stomach thats not food?

i would love to see a reduction in the over the top packaging we are subjected to. but removing all that wrapping would mean companys wouldnt be able to put a small item in a big box to make you think you were getting a big item.

[bushies.girl]

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@davidc4430 wrote:

you did an autopsy on a cow?

as i said, i have mixed feelings with this story.

the selling of balloons, helium filled or blow up yourself type, has been going on for a very long time.

i doubt there is anyone reading this who hasnt had one or the other at some point, even you.

are we going to make a big deal of balloons when our govt wont even agree climate change exists?

obviously if we believe balloons should be banned, then must we not ban anything that can get into your cows stomach thats not food?

i would love to see a reduction in the over the top packaging we are subjected to. but removing all that wrapping would mean companys wouldnt be able to put a small item in a big box to make you think you were getting a big item.

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David most, if not all ,serious farmers, are incredibly fussy re what grows in their stock paddocks and do their very best to eradicate  anything that may harm their stock.  There are times when livestock can and does get poisoned but why add to the problem? 

 I have had blow up type balloons at my kids parties but they went straight into the garbage bin, given what I know now I would never have used them. Can't say I have ever released a helium balloon into the air nor would I

[brerrabbit585]

Just don't buy anything with excessive packaging. I refuse to buy vegetables that are wrapped in plastic at the supermarket and that's not just because gladwrap is extremely carcinogenic.

I didn't say anything about banning balloons, only letting them go to waft away to who knows where. A few schools used to do this with tree seeds attached to the balloons and they could travel a long way. We found the remains of a balloon with the note still attached and it had travelled over 160 kms.

I've never had a helium balloon. They were fairly rare in my childhood days. When I worked as a door lady at Big W I used to see aboriginal kids letting the gas out so they could inhale it.

[brerrabbit585]

And lots of farmers do post mortems on their cows so they can find out whether other animals are likely to die from the same thing.

[brerrabbit585]

I've got a question for you, David. Which animal do you think it's okay to kill (in agony) by having a balloon land where they can swallow it?

Just for the record, I put less than a cupful of rubbish in the bin each week - mostly unavoidable plastic.

[chameleon54]

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@brerrabbit585 wrote:
And lots of farmers do post mortems on their cows so they can find out whether other animals are likely to die from the same thing.

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I get the vet to do autopsies on sheep that die from unexplained causes from time to time. One year this showed nitrate poisoning from a weed that was growing. I sprayed the weed and was careful with the management of the weed in following seasons.

This year I had four lambs ( out of 600 ) that had identical front shoulder fractures and had to be put down. I had autopsies done on two.

The results showed the animals had a severe copper deficiency . In response I injected 1200 sheep ( twice ) with an intravenous mineral mix, gave the sheep stock licks containing copper and next year will spread superphosphate with added copper concentrate on my land.

The result was no more fractures and the lambs grew better as the mineral deficiency affects growth rates.

Autopsies are reasonably common practice in agriculture.

[davidc4430]

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@brerrabbit585 wrote:
I've got a question for you, David. Which animal do you think it's okay to kill (in agony) by having a balloon land where they can swallow it?

Just for the record, I put less than a cupful of rubbish in the bin each week - mostly unavoidable plastic.

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i'm neither for or against a ban on balloons, i just ask the question.

where do we draw the line on banning things?

they can ban balloons tomorrow, wont bother me in the slightest, its been prolly 30 years since i either bought a ballon or was given one to blow up.

do we ban condoms, they are similar to balloons and could wind up inside an animal having been tossed (excuse my pun) out a car window. disgusting thing to do but it does happen.