UNL Environmentalist Proposes End to First Touchdown Balloon Tradition

VectorVictor

VectorVictor

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Just had someone send this to me this morning, found it interesting. A UNL English Teacher and Environmentalist is calling for the Balloon Tradition to be replaced due to the new balloons not being bio-degradable.

The petition says the “supposedly biodegradable latex” balloons travel hundreds to thousands of miles, posing a risk of ensnaring wildlife with their ribbons.

Explaining his support for the petition, Vogt wrote about a red balloon that landed in his garden after a September 2012 football game that was supposed to be part of a final sendoff to the tradition...He and his wife buried the balloon in a vegetable bed to see how long it would take to decompose, then dug it out in December 2013. “The balloon was intact, with no holes or fading to the ink,” he wrote.
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Now, why is this posted here and not, say, in the football section? Because there are certain folks that don't understand that politics don't belong in that forum, and anything environmental seems to devolve with certain folks into something less than desirable.

IMO if the balloons are being advertised as biodegradable and we have examples where that isn't the case, then this should be investigated by the University and changes made if these new biodegradable balloons are not as advertised.

As to whether the replacement is going to actual, proven biodegradable balloons, or replacing the tradition completely, I don't know. But as innocuous as it sounds, I've heard of farmers in central and western Nebraska having problems with livestock ingesting deflated balloons that have landed in their field (not known if it's a balloon from DoNU or not) and ultimately killing said livestock.

 
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Great... We are going to start blowing bubbles when they score now so it will be "Environmentally friendly"

Get some latex that is biodegradable and problem is solved.

 
It'sNotAFakeID said:
Is this really an issue of great magnitude? Like do 25 cows die after every Husker game?
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No, but these balloons, if they're not biodegradable as they claim to be, would be negatively impacting wildlife and the environment. Just because it's out of sight doesn't mean there is zero impact.

Part of the problem is that there was a big push years ago to make sure the balloons were biodegradable, and the University assured everyone that they are. Now there is evidence, albeit limited so far, that suggests otherwise. To me, that merits an investigation.

As for replacements, if the balloons aren't truly biodegradable, then get some that are, and verity that they are before we switch and UNL announces that 'hey, they're *REALLY* biodegradable this time, we promise!" Otherwise, perhaps it's time for a new tradition...

 
I figured this would be about helium. The fact that helium is a dwindling supply with no new reserves found, I figured this tradition would have ended long ago.

 
So I put a Corn Nation article about this in the Husker Football Sub Forum. Mods, feel free to merge if you deem appropriate. I didn't see this before I posted.

 
matthew_m_g said:
It'sNotAFakeID said:
Is this really an issue of great magnitude? Like do 25 cows die after every Husker game?
Click to expand...
No, but these balloons, if they're not biodegradable as they claim to be, would be negatively impacting wildlife and the environment. Just because it's out of sight doesn't mean there is zero impact.

Part of the problem is that there was a big push years ago to make sure the balloons were biodegradable, and the University assured everyone that they are. Now there is evidence, albeit limited so far, that suggests otherwise. To me, that merits an investigation.

As for replacements, if the balloons aren't truly biodegradable, then get some that are, and verity that they are before we switch and UNL announces that 'hey, they're *REALLY* biodegradable this time, we promise!" Otherwise, perhaps it's time for a new tradition...
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Weird that we wouldn't use biodegradable balloons. I like the balloon tradition and don't want to see that nixed.

 
Hey, Deena Winter and Brandon Vogt,

NxmNY.gif


 
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It'sNotAFakeID said:
matthew_m_g said:
It'sNotAFakeID said:
Is this really an issue of great magnitude? Like do 25 cows die after every Husker game?
Click to expand...
No, but these balloons, if they're not biodegradable as they claim to be, would be negatively impacting wildlife and the environment. Just because it's out of sight doesn't mean there is zero impact.

Part of the problem is that there was a big push years ago to make sure the balloons were biodegradable, and the University assured everyone that they are. Now there is evidence, albeit limited so far, that suggests otherwise. To me, that merits an investigation.

As for replacements, if the balloons aren't truly biodegradable, then get some that are, and verity that they are before we switch and UNL announces that 'hey, they're *REALLY* biodegradable this time, we promise!" Otherwise, perhaps it's time for a new tradition...
Click to expand...
Weird that we wouldn't use biodegradable balloons. I like the balloon tradition and don't want to see that nixed.
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Supposedly we do, as per an article StPaulHusker linked to on the thread in the football forum. That's why this petition and the claims are interesting.

Figured the mods would have already diverted traffic over here since, well, people can start to get a little chippy when it comes to hot button topics like the environment.

 
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