Youth group calls for ban on release of balloons, sky lanterns

LAOAG CITY (PNA) - The release of balloons and sky lanterns to the sky is a sight to behold for spectators and festival and special events organizers, but the same is likewise a major hazard to marine creatures

In Ilocos Norte, a young group of environmentalists is urging lawmakers from the 21 towns and two cities to ban the practice.

“We are calling the attention of the local government units and other concerned authorities. Just like what we’ve been posting, releasing of balloons is much more of littering. Kindly choose the welfare of our environment over an eye candy activity. Kindly choose an activity that will benefit the community and will not harm the environment,” said the Movement Against Plastic Pollution (MAPP) in its social media account on Thursday.

A non-profit youth volunteer organization which is trying to advocate zero-waste lifestyle, particularly in engaging Ilocanos to refuse single-use plastic, MAPP, led by Patricia Dacanay, is appealing to concerned authorities and individuals to do away with this practice and choose a more sustainable and eco-friendly activity.

For the past few days, several photos of balloons released by employees of various local government units and academe were posted online, to which MAPP called their attention saying, “Balloons don’t go to heaven. They don’t make your wishes come true or such. Balloons pop, drop and harm our environment.”