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Balloons were released during a memorial in New Mexico in March 2022 for the victim of a car crash.
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Kudos to state lawmakers for banning outdoor balloon releases (“The party’s over: Outdoor balloon releases banned,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 1). The harm that balloons cause to animals, waterways and the environment is very real. PETA and other organizations have been sounding the alarm for decades.
When deflated balloons fall back to Earth, they wreak havoc. Animals often mistake balloon fragments for food and choke or suffocate when they try to eat them. Balloons can block animals’ digestive tracts, causing them to starve to death slowly and painfully. Birds can become entangled in deflated balloons, and many have been found dead with bits of Mylar, latex and string wrapped around their necks, beaks and legs. Dolphins, whales and sea turtles also die after ingesting deflated balloons, which can resemble jellyfish, one of their food sources.
If you spot a downed balloon while you’re out walking, take a second to pick it up and dispose of it properly — you could save a life.
Jason Baker
Diamond Head
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