Hundreds of colorful balloons rising towards clouds can be a nice view, but for pastor Aaron Campbell they almost always represent another tragedy in Philadelphia.
As a non-profit founder in his youth, Campbell organized more monuments from releasing balloons for those who lost their lives with weapon violence than he would like to tell.
“We have a culture of losing our teenage children to murder,” said Campbell. “The release of the balloon is a countercultural symbol of hope, a symbol of healing.”
What would happen if this tradition were illegal?
This is the question about the mind of Campbell, because legislators are trying to debate about the provisions that would ban balloons publishing houses, citing harmful effects on the environment and voters’ complaints on drifting balloons on trees, streams and other natural spaces.
If the regulations pass, Pennsylvania will join a handful of countries that banned publications on similar environmental problems. Representatives in Harrisburg proposed a ban on releasing a balloon in 2023Although the law never reached the final vote.
Legislators now believe that time is suitable for another attempt, saying that Pennsylvania’s environmental protection is a problem that should collect both democrats and republicans – from the inhabitants of crowded suburbs, in which natural land is sensitive, to rural hunters willing to protect the plentiful wilderness of the state.
“The environment is one of the main problems in my community,” said the state senator Amanda Cappelletti, a democrat, whose district covers a significant part of the main line, as well as Norristown and King of Prussia. “Quite often, these great balloons editions are located on our streets, our forests.”
“Dangerous garbage” and frustrated fishermen
Cappelletti announced last month that she was going to introduce a balance for the ban on balloon publications in the near future.
IN On March 24, a note to her colleaguesCappelletti quoted a risk to public health and the environment, when latex balloons travel long distances and end in various ecosystems, becoming “dangerous cream”.
“Balloons can take years to spread and often pose dangers for wild nature, which can mistake them for food, which leads to consumption, entanglement and often death,” wrote Cappelletti. “In addition, balloon pollution can contribute to environmental pollution, negatively affecting our natural resources.”
According to Cappelletti, only intentional balloon layoffs would be banned, and the editions of scientific and meteorological goals would not be narrow. The note did not mention the penalties for this, but other states Proposed fines of USD 250.
Balloons are issued for all types of events, from weddings to birthday parties, and the note does not distinguish services or any criminal.
Cappelletti said that the inspiration for the law occurred after the choice complained about balloons and the environment. The legislator himself said that she once found a balloon entangled in a tree in front of her house.
Barry Leffler is at an angle to become a voice of these frustration.
A resident of York is behind Petition of change.org Searching for a ban on deliberate balloon publications in Pennsylvania, which was won by over 120 signatures.
“We are fishing all the time – we have a boat on the Susquehanna River – and every time we leave, there is a good chance that we will find a balloon on the water,” said Leffler. “It’s littering, polluting.”
Leffler, a 52-year-old tattoo artist, has no formal experience as an environment lawyer. But when he saw on Facebook an article about a different condition that introduced a ban on releasing the balloon, he began petition and spread it among friends and family.
“Almost everyone” agreed with this idea, said Leffler.
“Most modern” environmental movement
Environmentalists have long supported the ban on releasing a balloon in Pennsylvania.
“Walk around Philly parks, you can see a balloon from your birthday, another holiday,” said Faran Savitz, a zero waste lawyer in environmental protection non -profit Pennenenvironment.
Deliberate release of balloons in California, Connecticut, Maryland, Tennessee and Virginia is illegal. Savitz believes that Pennsylvania still has time for a “most modern” conversation before it spreads throughout the country.
According to Savitz, both democratic and republican legislators in Harrisburg in the past ineffective ideas for similar bans. This includes the proposed account 2023, which never transferred a referral to the Game and Fisheries Committee, government files.
Although liberal legislators are often associated with avant -garde environmental protection regulations, Savitz believes that balloon bans are ultimately a bilateral problem that benefits rural members, conservative communities in which hunting and fishing develop.
But the question mark remains for members of urban districts, such as those in Philadelphia, where violence from weapons is the most widespread, and releasing balloons can signal a painful memory of the lost life, not celebration.
Complex problem – and therapeutic space
Campbell claims that balloons releases are more common in Philadelphia districts than anyone would prefer.
According to the pastor, monuments organized according to the UP level gathered hundreds in local parks and are often the most available, inexpensive mourning methods.
He sees the balloon as a protected space in which the city’s youth meet to learn valuable mourning skills.
“It’s sad that I became an expert,” said Campbell.
According to Campbell, the balloon releases also create a space for adolescent people who reconciled with conflicts that led to violence. The pastor goes until some balloon publications are assigned to reduce retaliation murders.
Legislators are aware that the ban on releasing the balloon will affect monuments and hope that mourners will accept alternatives.
“There are many amazing ways to commemorate people we loved and lost in this life,” said Cappelletti. “We hope that we will find ways that are less influential to our environment to do this.”
Over the years, when Campbell publishes films with releasing a balloon in social media, the pastor met an occasional commentator who cardes this practice for environmental reasons.
Campbell understands sentiment. Despite this, he wants a more refined conversation about the “unspeakable” problem.
“If this bill is adopted, you must rotate,” said the pastor. “But you will remove the healing space.”
