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Releasing [baby] balloons...

...on October 15th which is/was apparently Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day. 

Am I the only one who thinks this is absurd? Find another way to remember, honor or whatever. I don't think releasing a bunch of blown up rubber into the air is really the best way to go.

Here's an idea...plant a tree!

(sorry a 'friend' of mine posted about this on facebook and I was immediately outraged. I know loss of pregnancy is a common and terrible thing, but the balloon thing really pissed me off...end of vent) 

Re: Releasing [baby] balloons...

  • I agree, and I love your idea.
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  • There are these beautiful balloons that are lit with candles. They work kind of like hot air balloons. And they're organic. I can't remember what they're called, but they're awesome. I've seen photos of them and I really like them.

    Planting a tree is an awesome idea too. Like starting a new life in remembrance of one lost. I like the tree idea much better! :)

  • Meh, in principle I agree with you but really... for one day, for a very small segment of the population... let it go.
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    I am a runner, knitter, scientist, DE-IVF veteran, and stage III colon cancer survivor.
  • imageepphd:
    Meh, in principle I agree with you but really... for one day, for a very small segment of the population... let it go.

    This.

  • I can't find the emotion of "immediately outraged" in this. 

  • imagefoundmylazybum:

    I can't find the emotion of "immediately outraged" in this. 

    Agreed.  Also, and I could be wrong on this, I think that I read somewhere that a latex balloon decomposes at the same rate as an oak leaf (about a year).  (Obviously, there may still be concerns about their effect on wildlife.)

    I just don't feel like this is a big enough threat to the environment to get me all worked up about how someone else deals with her grief.

  • Well, I think that "worry" about the sea turtles eating balloons (although here in land and mountain locked CO--how realistic is that?) is more what I think of--or birds..

    Also, I mean, I get where the OP is coming from--sorta. I guess I thought it was pretty common knowledge balloons could hurt wildlife--like since the 80's we have known this at least, and I get the "be more creative with grief" idea..but it's GRIEF.. Maybe a pass here? Who are we to say how others should handle loss?  And again, certainly "outrage" may be an overstatement of emotion. 

    That is all. 

     

  • imagefoundmylazybum:

    Well, I think that "worry" about the sea turtles eating balloons (although here in land and mountain locked CO--how realistic is that?) is more what I think of--or birds..

    Also, I mean, I get where the OP is coming from--sorta. I guess I thought it was pretty common knowledge balloons could hurt wildlife--like since the 80's we have known this at least, and I get the "be more creative with grief" idea..but it's GRIEF.. Maybe a pass here? Who are we to say how others should handle loss?  And again, certainly "outrage" may be an overstatement of emotion. 

    That is all. 

    Yeah, I get ya.  I'm not saying there is no ecological impact (because obviously, we should all avoid actions that can result in choking wildlife), but I agree that getting outraged about one that may occur as a by-product of a particular expression of grief is a bit much. 

    I mean, woodland creatures get their head stuck in Yoplait cups and die, but it doesn't outrage me to see people eating it when they could have chosen a less impactful product.  (And that's assuming that they aren't even eating the yogurt in memoriam.)

    To each her own...I find I can only muster so much outrage at the general public before it makes me want to avoid other humans completely.  Stick out tongue 

    I guess we all have our trigger topics, and OP hates balloons.  (Just teasing, MissCarol...I'm sure we all have things that annoy the heck out of us that would be deemed an overreaction by others...I know I do!  Please don't feel run-off; we'd love to see you keep posting!  Besides, when we agree all the time, it gets boring in here!)

    ETA: Sorry, I went a little exclamation mark happy there.  I was just feeling bad for the OP...

  • Funny you mention planting a tree!  I planted a tree in my backyard in rememberance of the babies that I lost.
  • Everything I read about it was light a candle in memory.  Planting  a tree would be beautiful, though.
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  • imagepapagena:
    Everything I read about it was light a candle in memory.  Planting  a tree would be beautiful, though.

    Same here.

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  • I've run across countless balloons in the backcountry and wilderness of the cascades (the only place i've done much backpacking), though i'm confident people did not bring along a bouquet of latex balloons with them on their backpacking trips, so it is an issue even when oceans are not nearby (bags and balloons, as someone mentioned, are a concern for sea life that mistakes them for food).  
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