In a recent obituary I read in the paper, the deceased’s loved ones were asked to write a story about her, tie it to a purple balloon and release the balloon on her birthday. As a wildlife volunteer, I ask you to please, please find a safer, more environmentally friendly way to honor this person. Aside from the fact that this is littering (what goes up must come down), and balloons are not biodegradable, balloons released into the air can cause injury and even death to wild birds and mammals. They can become entangled in the strings or ribbons attached …