An unhappy birthday for the sea turtles

Balloons are potent killers of sea turtles. Filled with helium, they drift off into the ocean and are swallowed by turtles because they look similar to jellyfish. Rubber balloons will break down (eventually), but long after they’ve done their damage. The shiny ones, made of mylar, are particularly pernicious, because they last forever.

I find it hard to believe that people still celebrate with balloons; I doubt most children would want a balloon if they knew they were helping to kill sea turtles. And other animals: including dolphins, birds, domestic animals and pets; the balloon blocks the throat and/or stomach, the animal dies of starvation. Or it’s choked to death. Or it becomes entangled in the strings and dies that way, trapped.

Releasing a balloon is littering. It’s also killing.