Letter to Gibraltar

 

This is a letter we wrote to 9 officials in Gibraltar in 2014. We never received a reply from anyone.

Finally, in 2016, they are reconsidering…

 

 

TO: 

cm@gibraltar.gov.gi

culture.info@culture.gov.gi

minister@gha.gi

mhe@gibraltar.gov.gi

info.mttp@gibraltar.gov.gi

info@helpinghand.gi

ericshaw@gohns.org

KeithBensusan@gohns.org

VincentRobba@gohns.org

 

Please view our website for further info & great alternatives: www.BalloonsBlow.org  This year’s switch to so called, “environmentally friendly, biodegradable” latex balloons in an attempt to lessen the environmental impact will be futile. Offering the trashed balloons will eventually degrade is not a viable solution as it admittedly continues to be a risk to animals in that time. It is these latex balloons that are most often consumed by animals as their burst remains resemble their food. The balloons can last years in the environment.

The balloon industry spends millions of dollars making well intentioned revelers believe that releasing latex balloons is harmless, but this is untrue. They also claim as long as they are hand tied latex balloons with no attachments they are safe to release, again, this is untrue.

Please put an end to this harmful tradition. Balloon releases done in one country can effect other countries as balloons are known to travel tens of thousands of miles. People from Europe & around the world, including many Gibraltarians, are anxiously awaiting for Gibraltarofficials to finally stop this annual mass aerial littering. We are confident, if you let the people know why the event was altered, they will be happy to help conserve wildlife by choosing a nice alternative. Perhaps a mass bubble blowing would be awesome! If every person inGibraltar participated, you would break the Guinness Book of World Record for the most people simultaneously blowing bubbles. The current record holds at  23,680 people  – made 15 years ago.