Balloons found on sea turtle nest patrol on the Sandbridge beach section of Virginia Beach. Thanks Peg!

Kermit is released

Kermit, a green sea turtle, found stranded in Virginia Beach after ingesting pieces of plastic, balloon and paper, is released after nine months in rehab. http://www.wvec.com/news/vabeach/stories/wvec_top_062209_turtle.1745877c.html

Balloons found at Fisherman's Wharf Marina in Virginia Beach on June 17, 2009. (Thank you Colleen(s) for collecting them!)

Eastern Shore of VA trip, June 11, 2009

June 11, 2009 These pictures are of balloons found during a boat trip from Wise Point to Cape Charles on Virginia's Eastern Shore. We found 3 mylar balloons and 4 latex balloon, including one from Red Robin (the closest Red Robin is in Virginia Beach on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay). What goes up, will come down...

So, if you were a seaweed-eating sea turtle, would this "biodegradable" balloon look like a tasty snack to you? Yes, many latex balloons are biodegradable. But they don't disappear overnight. In fact it can take months. While they are biodegrading, they start to shred (like in this photo) and can start to look like seaweed or squid, the natural prey items for many animals that live in the ocean. And if the strings are attached? They don't biodegrade for a much longer time, if at all. So ingesting a balloon is bad enough, but with string in tow, there is a really good chance that that animal is going to have some serious intestinal issues!

Balloons On My Beach May 31, 2009

These 7 mylar balloons were found on a five mile stretch of beach at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park in Virginia Beach, VA. These are remote beaches which are not cleaned on a regular basis. These balloons include a Graduation, Mother's Day, 2 Happy Birthday, Valentine's Day and a Tune Balloon.

Welcome to my blog about travelling trash, especially balloons. So many people are unaware of the harm that balloons can cause when they are released into the environment. They can land in the ocean and be mistaken for prey items. Sea turtles and marine mammals are especially affected by this. When they injest balloons and other trash, it can block their stomach and/or intestines, causing them to starve to death. Balloons can also wrap around trees and powerlines as well as litter beaches and fields. What goes up, must come down! I hope that this blog, including photos, facts, figures and stories, will help bring awareness to this issue. Thanks for stopping by!