Balloon releases devastate wildlife and pollute our planet

Wildlife mistake littered balloons for food and starve after eating the plastic pollution. Balloon Debris Kills Animals and Builds Up Microplastic Waste in the Environment. Ban the Intentional Releasing of Balloons Now! Sign Now    Arfin, People often think it's fun to intentionally release balloons into the sky, thinking it looks pretty and celebratory. But the truth is that wayward balloons are deadly for animals and horrible for the environment. After these stretchy pieces of plastic return to the Earth or the seas, unsuspecting animals often mistake it for food, stuffing themselves with these toxic chemical-based products. Their bodies can't break down the material, leaving it stuck inside them forever. Even worse: balloons fill up the animals' stomachs, making them think they've eaten enough... so they starve to death.   Balloon pollution affects all kinds of animals, including seabirds, turtles, and other aquatic wildlife, as well as even inside of farmed animals. In fact, according to The New York Times, balloon debris is "32 times more likely to kill seabirds than other types of plastic debris." Released balloons are also a huge contributor to microplastic pollution. Recent studies show that microplastics have made their way into all manner of fish, cows, and other animals, as well as into human semen, breast milk, and even our very blood. That's why it's so uplifting to learn that Florida lawmakers want to take action to end balloon pollution. We have to encourage them to follow through! Sign the petition to demand that Florida state legislators ban people from intentionally releasing balloons outside!   Thank you, Miranda Care2 Petitions Team P.S. We don't allow other types of littering — so we shouldn't allow balloon littering either. Sign the petition.      Sign Now