Releasing balloons into the air can be fun in the moment, but where do those balloons go once they are released? Remember, what goes up must come down. Unfortunately, these balloons become the environment's problem. And not just the local environment, since balloons have been found to land hundreds of miles away from where they were originally released. These balloons have been capable of choking animals, getting tied around their legs, and even accidentally get consumed by animals mistaking them for a food source.

    Besides the negative impacts on the environment, balloon releases are also wasting an already limited resource: helium. Helium is only found in a few countries, the United States not being one of them, which limits the amount the U.S. can obtain and how often. Besides that, helium is an important element in different research laboratories and has helped in the creation of different electronics. That being said, should such a valuable element be wasted on such a harmful activity? 

    Please, think about adding your name to this petition in hopes of mass balloon releases being banned nationwide. Every signature matters!

If you'd like to look more into this, below are links I used when researching this topic.

. https://www.npr.org/2019/11/01/775554343/the-world-is-constantly-running-out-of-helium-heres-why-it-matters​

http://sustainability.umich.edu/news/balloon-release-impact