A balloon ban proposal has triggered fierce opposition in Germany, following an announcement from the Green party that it would like to ‘ban balloons’ for environmental reasons.
Anne Kura, head of the Green party in the German state of Lower Saxony, has clarified her position on banning balloons after being accused of pushing away voters with ‘ecological radicalisation’.
Anne first spoke about an outright ban on balloons to Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper last week, where she stated that biodegradable balloons should also be targeted under the ban.
“On the one hand, you have this short-lived beautiful picture of colorful balloons in the air and on the other, dead birds,” she commented.
The party’s initial call for an outright ban comes from a similar move from the city of Gütersloh in the nieghbouring state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which declared itself a ‘balloon-free zone’ earlier this month , banning helium-filled balloons from being used at any events held on publicly-owned land.
Hours after her statement, Anne clarified that the Green party is focused on banning balloon releases, not issuing a complete balloon ban, stating: “Balloons at children’s birthday parties in the living room are totally OK and fun”.
Other parties have expressed disapproval for a ban, with some calling it ‘eco-radicalisation’.
