Dear Editor
I want to clarify some "facts" given about the harmful effects of aballoon release stated in "Halt the deadly balloon launch (News-Optimist, April 23).
Here are some facts regarding the mythology around how harmful a balloon release can be to the environment and wildlife. Did you know research shows, if done properly, with latex balloons and no strings attached, the balloons will rise to an altitude of about five miles where they freeze and shatter into little pieces and return to the Earth? Rarely do balloons return to the Earth's surface intact and research shows that regardless of its form when it lands, it will decompose forming a natural soil nutrient. The latex they are made of is a milky sap produced by rubber trees, which is why they are considered biodegradable.
Now here are some facts about Canadian Mental Health. One in five Canadians will experience mental illness in their lifetime. If alcoholism and addictions are taken into consideration, this number becomes one in three. More persons are affected by mental illness than all cancers combined. Suicide accounts for 24 per cent of all deaths between the ages of 15 and 24 years.
Raising awareness for mental health is important for the health of our community. My hat goes off to the individuals at our Canadian Mental Health office and I wish you the best of success with your events during Mental Health Week.
Brendon Boothman
North Battleford
