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The Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC), the Center
for Marine Conservation (CMC) and others have been working
on this issue related tp the mass release of helium balloons
by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). NFDA
is planning a massive balloon launch across the country on
Veterans Day, November 11th, to coincide with the
groundbreaking ceremony for the new WWII memorial on the
National Mall in Washington DC. Funeral homes across the
country are being encouraged by NFDA to become involved in
organizing local balloon launch events as fundraisers to
help build the memorial. For a minimum donation of 10
dollars, an individual can have a balloon released in honor
of a veteran.
The organizers of this campaign have been encouraged to
rethink their approach and to adopt an alternative form of
celebration. While CCC & CMC are not against balloons, we
are against releasing balloons into the atmosphere, where
they will eventually return to earth and could pose a danger
to a marine or terrestrial animal. It is well documented
that sea turtles and other marine animals ingest discarded
balloons and/or balloon fragments, mistaking them for
natural prey food items. Numerous necropsies on marine
animals from sea turtles to whales have shown balloon
pieces blocking the throat or intestine.
We need your help in trying to stop this planned balloon
launch. Please pass the word along to like-minded
individuals and organizations. And if you hear of any
activity being organized in your community(s), please talk
to the organizers of the event and try to dissuade them
from a balloon release. The balloons could be collected
instead and taken to a Veterans Hospital, VFW Hall, or the
children's ward of a local hospital and released indoors
during a celebration - a much more fitting tribute to our
loved ones and veterans.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Please help by calling, faxing or writing the National
Funeral Directors Association and ask to speak to Robert
Harden, the Executive Director in charge of the event. Let
him know your concerns and ask for an alternative
celebration.
The contact info is:
Mr. Robert Harden
Executive Director
National Funeral Directors Association
13625 Bishop's Dr.
Brookfield, WI 53005
Phone: 262-789-1880
Fax: 262-789-6977
Here is a brief list of the key points to make when talking
with Mr. Harden and/or local organizers:
1. The balloon industry claims balloons degrade as fast as
an oak leaf. IF this were true, balloons would take up to
four years to fully degrade - much too long a time for them
to be around to be found and eaten by an unsuspecting
animal.
2. Scientific studies have proven that sea turtles show a
feeding preference for brightly colored balloons over other
items such as clear plastic - and they do not pass through
the digestive tract of a turtle in the normal time but have
been proven to accumulate and may take up to four months to
pass through (normal time is ~ 10 days).
3. Releasing balloons into the air is the same as littering.
The balloon industry claims balloons explode in many tiny
harmless fragments when they reach a certain altitude, but
the over 32,000 balloons picked up on beaches during a
1999 cleanup would indicate otherwise - many return to
earth intact.
4. Many states (including Florida) and municipalities have
banned balloon launches. Launches are widely regarded by
many in the general public as very harmful to the
environment and to marine animals. Promoting a balloon
launch as part of their event will only attract negative
publicity to an otherwise honorable cause.
Thanks to CMC for putting this alert together.
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