Balloons and the Environment |
NB if any balloon manufacturers read this and disagree with any of my statements then please email me | ||
| Today all businesses have to consider the environmental aspects of their activities. If they do not act then eventually their customers will take the initiative and move their custom to more "green" competitors. Or in the case of non-essential items like balloons they might stop using them altogether! There is already concern about Mylar balloons which are essentially non-biodegradeable. There are also social issues to consider, such as the treatment of workers in factories and in places where the raw materials are produced such as rubber plantations. | 
Mylar balloon found in the desert in California |
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| See what a typical customer might ask, meet Mrs
Mildley-Greene: many of our customers are from charities
or other non-profit organisations. They are socially responsible people
and sooner or later are going to start asking awkward questions.
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Or, even worse, the government or the EEC will pass laws and impose regulation. See The California Balloon Law as an example of things to come. Don't forget that California began to impose pollution control on cars way back in the 1960's and the UK only adopted regulation in the late 1980's. The West Coast of the USA often gives us a glimpse of our own future. |
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| Besides thinking about the environmental impact of products such as balloons companies must expect questions from their customers about the sourcing of the goods which they sell and about the ethical standards of the suppliers. For food and other products the Fairtrade symbol has become well-known. It reassures the consumer that the workers and farmers involved in producing the goods are treated well and have some share in the wealth created. |  |
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| a Fairtrade football - so why not balloons too? | |||
| We often think about the environmental effects of a product in terms of what happens to it when it is disposed of after use. However we should also consider the environmental damage caused by its manufacture and also by the extraction or growing of the materials used to make it. If you include "Fairtrade" considerations then things get quite complex! | |||
| See the aims of the Fairtrade organisation, they have separate requirements for growers and for factory workers | |||