Releasing balloons has no place

While I realize there are certainly more pressing items on the agenda, I hope you will still take the time to support some common-sense legislation which should be under consideration, such as S3288 and/or S3177. Although it may seem a trivial matter, releasing balloons into the environment really should have no place in our current society. Some types are more harmful to marine life than others, but none are in any way beneficial to the environment in general. Surely people can observe and celebrate events in a less destructive fashion.
Unfortunately, we cannot rely on common sense or even reasonable discourse by some human beings regarding this matter. Less than a year ago, our small community was polarized by this very subject and the enmity still remains after some area residents objected to the release of gold balloons in observance of childhood cancer. Those who opposed the balloons on the basis of being harmful to the environment were excoriated and accused of being indifferent to the suffering of child cancer victims. Supporting both causes are not mutually exclusive. It’s time to introduce, vote on, and pass one or both of these pieces of legislation, S3288 and/or S3177, putting the subject to rest and restoring logic and rationality.
Jennifer Downing
Stockholm