Balloons and the Environment – What we need to know
Balloons have to hold the trophy for the ultimate party decoration, but in recent years we’ve become more aware of the environmental impact they have, and rightly so. We at Party101 are making steps to protect the environment so have introduced our Balloon Return Scheme so that we can all party guilt-free and look after our beautiful planet.
Different Types of Balloons
There are 2 main types of balloons that you’ll be familiar with; the latex balloon and the foil balloon. Both are fantastic to display at parties to give that sense of fun and often glamour, but both have very different properties and we need to discuss what happens when you’re done with them.
Latex balloons are made from rubber material which comes from the sap of found in a rubber tree. You’ll have heard that latex balloons biodegrade at the same rate as an oak leaf…what’s not being said is that an oak leaf can take up to 2 years to biodegrade. But that doesn’t mean we should stop buying balloons and lose the party feels, we just need to know what to do next.
Foil Balloons are a type of plastic coated with a metallic film, these won’t be biodegrading anytime soon, however there are multiple options of what to do with foil balloons which we’ll cover later.
Disposal of Latex
At Party101 we do not condone any form of balloon release. They have been known to travel up to 200km and as everything that goes up must come down, you can guarantee they’ll end up in oceans and forests where they can be eaten by wildlife and pollute the area with toxins.
Remember though, latex balloons are made from the sap of a tree, so they can easily be popped into your compost bin to turn into soil that’s perfect for your plants. If you cut up the balloons they’ll get to that point quicker. Perfect!
But we get that not everyone has a compost bin, so what are you meant to do with these floaty party decorations? No problem, bring them to our store and we’ll make sure they end up in a compost bin! Better yet, returning these deflated balloons to us gets you a voucher for money off your next purchase – and that’s off anything from our party decorations, balloons and sweet ranges.
Re-Use Foil Balloons
Foil balloons have a much longer shelf life and therefore need to be treated differently once you’re done with them. To help you with the dilemma, we’ve got some neat ideas to ensure you’re getting the most out of the balloon;
- Re-Inflate
Carefully loosen the balloon tab where the fill-hole is and you’ll be able to re-inflate with helium or air. To save on helium costs you can do a 60-40 split of helium to air. If you fill with air you’ll likely see it stay inflated for months! Check out how to deflate and store foil balloons here
- Confetti
Cut up the foil balloon into small pieces and use it as table confetti for a bit of extra sparkle! Be sure to collect it all at the end of the party and dispose of in your household waste as normal.
- Gift Wrapping
Carefully cut the balloon around the seam and you’ll have yourself a perfect gift wrap for smaller items. It’s shiny, patterned and the perfect recycling tip for an old balloon.
- Scrapbooking
Perhaps not a hobby for everyone, but for those who scrapbook deflated foil balloons are perfect for cutting up and using as decoration. We all know how expensive arts and crafts can get so here’s a little tip to make the hobby move economical and environmentally friendly.
So don’t feel guilty in anyway for buying balloons, just be sure to make a good decision when you’re disposing of them. As part of our green agenda we’re doing everything we can to take the responsibility from our customers in getting rid of these balloons, and this goes for balloons that you’ve purchased elsewhere as well.
For more information about our Balloon Return Scheme please pop into our store or check out our website.
