While sky lantern festivals are really fun to attend, the environmental impact is often overlooked. 

Lighting a paper balloon and sending it off into the sky is undoubtedly a beautiful sight, but after they reach the ground again it's not quite as beautiful. Not only do they take a really long time to degrade (seven weeks for a fully burned lantern), but they often clog up rivers and lakes leaving behind a gross concoction of unfriendly chemicals. Especially relevant to Utah is the fire danger these lanterns pose. If these lanterns do not completely burn and hit the ground, which they do by the hundreds, we are looking at serious fire danger. With half the state being affected by flames just this year, why are we sending these lanterns off?! These lanterns negatively affect wildlife, the environment, AND humans. Let's save our 50 dollars and find another way to celebrate and have fun! Or even better, help me by signing this petition to stop lantern festivals from occurring in Salt Lake City.