Further update

https://www.facebook.com/lafestaitalianajc/posts/978043155586656

They will be using flowers from now on.

I'm thrilled that they cancelled it and that they were so nice about it... thanks everyone!

About the balloon bill/Balloon Council... that's insane. My hope would be that they've lost some traction since 1994 (balloon releases are banned in many areas: http://balloonsblow.org/laws-concerning-balloons/).

Though a bill was recently defeated in VA: http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/l ... esult-in-a-fine/22944813/

Unsurprisingly, a novelty store owner was opposed to it.

Great news. Thank you Festa!

I looked it up... a bill to ban it in NJ was defeated in 1994 with help from the Balloon Council (I wish I was kidding). Maybe it's time to revisit the issue.

Thank you La Festa Italiana and Lynn!
Nice when we work together and good things happen.

they just posted this reply to a neighbor's post on their FB page:

"Good news Lynn, after concern from the neighborhood and reconsideration on our part, we have cancelled the Balloon release. What we thought was a touching tribute does have negative affects on the environment. Please let anyone else know of our decision and of course we can't wait to see you at La Festa! Thanks for your support."

how cool is that?!?

that is just nuts.

I dropped them an email, appealing to their sense of Godliness (dude did create the animals, after all).


http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animals ... n-releases-harm-wildlife/

This is terrible!
I didn't know people still did this! And I can't believe it's not illegal in NJ with our big coastline, wetlands, and migratory bird population.

I wasn't aware that La Festa Italiana (which I enjoy otherwise) includes a balloon release... Please, if you have a moment, let them know that this is a bad idea, and why. There has to be a more acceptable way of memorializing loved ones than releasing balloons... which kill wildlife.

La Festa Italiana's page on the balloon release:
http://lafestaitalianajc.com/spirituality-2/memorial-balloons/

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I'm sharing this from WiredJC because it's worded far better than what I'd come up with:

Please send a note to holyrosarychurch@gmail.com expressing your opposition to this practice, or feel free to copy and paste the letter below with your name added on.

You can also contact La Festa Italiana on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LaFestaItaliana and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lafestaitalianajc.

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I am writing this letter to ask the Holy Rosary Church and La Festa Italiana organizers to end the Memorial Balloon practice in which helium balloons are released into Jersey City's environment in the form of a memorial ceremony.

Balloon release ceremonies present a major threat to avian and marine life in Jersey City and surrounding areas. These wildlife populations are already suffering major losses due to environmental pollution, habitat loss, and other factors. A growing number of states are implementing bans on balloon releases because of the deaths and injuries they bring to wildlife.

The Memorial Balloon ceremony should be ended immediately. It is not an appropriate way to commemorate the lives of loved ones.

Sincerely,


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Here are some resources concerning the threat of balloon releases:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/envir ... ists-20150519-gh4tef.html
http://us.whales.org/blog/dustincirce ... other-marine-debris-oh-my
http://www.seaturtlehospital.org/shacklefordIII.html
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... ses-kill-marine-life.html
http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com ... -sea-turtle-survival.html
http://research.pomona.edu/karnolab/2 ... eration-balloon-recovery/
http://www.examiner.com/environmental ... loons-kill-marine-animals
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/balloon-releases827.html#cr