Pollution in our oceans is a serious problem. Foil balloons, because they are bright, colorful, and float, are the easiest ocean litter to see and to catch. That’s true for people, and, sadly, that’s true for whales, dolphins, seals, fish, turtles, and seabirds as well. In fact, balloons are the #1 killer of seabirds worldwide.

 

Some animals are killed after mistaking balloons for jellyfish, squid, or other food and ingesting them. Some animals are killed after becoming entangled in the ribbon or string often attached to balloons. It’s ironic that one of the decorations we love the most can end up killing some of the animals we love the most.

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There are so many balloons in the ocean, it’s shocking. So we decided to do something about it. We pull them out and display them here as a fun way to bring awareness to the serious problem of releasing and runaway balloons.

 

Balloon Brigade is a 501(c)3 non-profit. Our mission is to enjoy the ocean while raising awareness about floating debris in our coastal waters and taking direct-action to combat it. We are dedicated to making removing ocean litter fun and helping to make our coastal waters healthier for all of us.