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Releasing gas-filled balloons into the air From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A balloon release is a ceremonial event in which a number of hydrogen- or helium-filled balloons are launched into the sky. Balloon releases can be done as a prayer ceremony, to create a photo opportunity, to raise awareness of a cause or campaign, or as a competitive long-distance race.
There is considerable opposition to, and legislation against, balloon releases, due to environmental, flight safety, and wildlife conservation issues.
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2021) |
Akin to a sky lantern ceremony of Chinese tradition, a group balloon release can serve as a quiet, prayerful group activity at a funeral or solemn occasion. Unlike sky lanterns, which float down after a short time, helium or hydrogen balloons quickly rise to heights in which they can no longer be seen. Balloon releases are also used in celebration, as a substitute to confetti, in order to avoid an immediate mess.
A balloon race, or balloon flight contest, is a competition wherein the competitors attempt to send balloons as far as possible. It can be compared to a rubber duck race. Postcards are attached to the balloons which are then released. The flight of the balloons cannot be influenced by the competitors. Instead, success in the contest is dependent on the wind conditions and on the location in which the balloon lands. The contest depends on the goodwill of passers-by to find the balloons and return the postcards. A prize may be awarded to the person whose balloon travels the furthest.
Helium balloons are claimed to reach a height of anywhere up to ten kilometres.[1]
It is also possible for a balloon, under the right circumstances, to reach equilibrium, and remain suspended in the air for some time, until the helium slowly diffuses out of the balloon.
A balloon launched from a school in Derby, England in December 2012 was found in Sydney, Australia in March 2013 having travelled 10,545 miles (16,971 km).[2][3]
 | The examples and perspective in this section deal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (May 2024) |
A balloon release in 1986 by the charity United Way Services of Cleveland, in Ohio, USA, was a fund-raising attempt to break the world record for the number of balloons in a single release. One-and-a-half million balloons were released, but an approaching weather front caused them to return to earth, covering the city in balloons, causing cars to crash, and hindering a coast guard rescue mission.[12] It contributed to the deaths of two sailors on Lake Erie (the wife of one victim sued the organizers, and settled out-of-court),[13] resulted in injuries to horses, and caused traffic accidents.[14] A runway at Burke Lakefront Airport had to be closed.[13] The Guinness Book of Records no longer accepts balloon release records.[citation needed]
The Balloon Council, an organization of balloon retailers, balloon distributors, and balloon manufacturers, has publicly come out against the practice of releasing balloons. Included in their list of "Smart Balloon Practices" is the message that balloons are "Worth the Weight," meaning that all balloons should be tied to a weight and not released outdoors. The campaign to end the release of balloons includes the hashtag #BeBalloonSmart and a cartoon character named Faraday, named after Michael Faraday, the inventor of the rubber balloon.[15]
In the United Kingdom, the National Association of Balloon Artists and Suppliers (NABAS) provide guidelines for appropriate balloon releases in order to minimize potential environmental impacts.[16] These guidelines include the limit to the number of balloons that should be released, releasing only balloons made from appropriate material, and that no materials such as ribbons or strings are included or attached to the end of any balloons that are released.[citation needed]
A number of organisations (for example, in the United Kingdom, these include the Marine Conservation Society,[17] the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,[17] the Tidy Britain Group,[17] the National Farmers' Union[17] and the RSPB[18]) oppose balloon releases, because of the visual impact of the fallen, deflated balloons, and the risk of harm to wildlife and domestic animals which they pose.[17] For these reasons, balloon releases are prohibited in some jurisdictions.[19][20]
In May 2018 a peer-reviewed study by Delia M. Webb was published that revealed 2,223 pieces of balloon litter were found on 39 beaches across Cornwall between July and December 2016. The study entitled "Just a balloon? A local study of the extent and impacts of balloon litter on beaches" reported that some of the balloons found on Cornish beaches had travelled from other parts of the UK, Ireland and Europe.[21]
Within many countries written permission is often required from the relevant airspace regulatory authority. In the UK this would be the Civil Aviation Authority, for releases over a certain number of balloons.[citation needed]
On 9 February 2018 rush-hour trains near Billericay, Essex were disrupted for more than two hours because 50 yellow and black balloons were tangled on overhead lines.[22]
Helium is a natural atmospheric gas, but as a land-resource, it is limited. As of 2012 the United States National Helium Reserve accounted for 30 percent of the world's helium, and was expected to run out of helium in 2018.[23] Some geophysicists fear the world's helium could be gone in a generation.[24] For this reason, balloon releases are seen as a wasteful use of this limited resource.[citation needed]
The documentary Rubber Jellyfish (2018) talks about and criticizes the actions of balloon releasing and how it contributes to pollution and animal death.[25][26]
As an alternative to a physical balloon race, a virtual balloon race involves imaginary balloons which are "launched" at a set date and place and allowed to "fly" for a set period such as a week, their route being calculated by a computer programme according to weather data. Charities can use this as a fund-raiser by allowing supporters to buy balloons and compete in the "race", with no harm done to wildlife or the planet.[27][28] As no physical contact is involved this fund-raising method was useful for charities during the lockdown of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when many other fund-raising events had to be cancelled.[29] British marketing company Purepages, based in Bolton, has developed "the world's first 100% eco-friendly virtual balloon race platform", with software which allows purchasers to adjust the properties of their balloon to influence its prospects.[30]
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