Balloon releases carry unintended consequences: environmentalists

Balloon releases are often used to mark a tragedy – or celebrate graduations. While they may lift heavy hearts towards the sky, eventually they come down hundreds – even thousands -- of kilometres away. The practice is coming under increased scrutiny as the effect of the spent balloons on the environment, and in particular on sea life, becomes more clear. “Whether they explode into the air or they come down whole, they will come down to earth as litter, and they will stay there