I got a couple of SMS and emails from friends and blog readers last Saturday regarding *SCAPE doing a balloon release during their launch on 19 June 2010. The first thing that came to my mind was: What the Fuck were they thinking?

What is *SCAPE trying to do? Are they trying to tell our youth that balloon release is ok? “Hey, it’s the *SCAPE opening, the brand new park for the youth at Orchard. So why not just release 500 balloons into the air and see how they fly. Isn’t that a beautiful sight?”

Yes, 500 balloons floating in the air is a beautiful sight. But what about 500 balloons floating in the open sea for weeks or months? Or 500 balloons in the drains or forest as rubbish? That is not a beautiful sight. And you know what? That 500 balloons that Scape Park released on their opening night is most likely in the sea or the forest now. Good job Scape Park. Why not just give all attendees 500 deflated balloons and let them litter on your sparking new park?

I’ve been saying this again and again on my blog that balloon release is harmful to the environment. If we are lucky, the balloon just end up as litter in the sea or forest. If we are not lucky, a sea turtle or bird might mistook the balloon as their prey and choke on it. Balloon release is unnecessary and I still do not understand why any organization would put balloon release as part of their event.

It sadden me every time when I see ignorant organisation doing balloon release without researching or thinking. Common sense would tell you that the balloons that you release will fall back to earth as litter. Yet I do not understand why do they want to do it in the first place.

I can only spread the message on my blog. I’m glad I managed to convince some organizations to remove balloon release from their event. But there is only this much I can do. Please, if you are reading this, help educate the people around you. Tell them the harms of balloon release. Tell them not to take part in any activities that have balloon release as part of their program. If you see any events about to do balloon release, walk up to the organizers and tell them about the harm of balloon release.

As for the *SCAPE, my only question for them is: What kind of message are you sending to our youth? After reading their mission statement, I know 1 thing for sure that they failed in cultivating social responsibility.

PS: All photos on this blog were found online. I wasn’t at the event. If I am, I’ll most likely walk up to the organizers and tell them to stop the balloon release.

Update: *SCAPE responded on their facebook.

Related posts:

1. Kotex – Setting a new Singapore record in polluting the environment thru mass balloon release
2. Pink Dot – Freedom to love, not mass balloon release
3. Marriage Central’s mass balloon release: So who is speaking the truth?
4. Balloon release gone wrong
5. Why release 60 balloons into the air to launch Earth Hour Singapore?