Balloon release is a common event in many ceremonies but when a balloon ascends into the heavens, it doesn't end up on Jupiter. Although a helium balloon can rise to altitudes of five miles (8 kilometers) into Earth's atmosphere, it's got to come back down eventually, and when it does, it wreaks some havoc. It could get tangled up in the flippers of a sea turtle or be eaten by one who mistakes it for a jellyfish. Animals of the land, sea and air are equally susceptible to mistaking deflated balloons for food, or even worse, getting tangled up and strangled by the ribbon attached to it. Also, the world may be running out of helium soon anyway. It causes power loss since the metallic or foil balloons conduct electricity by interacting with power line. This paper presents the harmful effects of balloon release on the environment and also the alternatives for balloon release during the ceremonies.
N. Arumughan
Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu (625 104), India
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