No more balloon release?

[Hoosker Du]

My conscience doesn't allow me to judge 90,000+ fans over a few balloons and it doesn't allow attaching "social" to anything I do or think.

As one of the conscientious caretakers of earth I consume less then 250 kWh per month electicity and until hunting season I fill my gas tank every month and it is about 12 gallons. Long before the millennials discovered facebook kids from the 50's and 60's have developed habits that reduce pollution in their own actions and generally abstain from trivialities.

Judging 90,000??? Wow, there's a quantum leap. I suggest that we can eliminate littering up the countryside with balloons very easily, and all of a sudden I'm judging? There's a reach if I've ever seen one.

The comment about our conscience wasn't referring to those 90K fans specifically; it was referring to what guides us in general.

 

[PvilleHuskerTim]

Faux environmentalists? There's a term I've never seen or heard. So....people that want to keep garbage from piling up in the environment are transparent environmentalists? How about that they are just trying to be good stewards of their surroundings?

I'm far from an environmental wacko (actually need to be more environmentally proactive) but it bothers me that we are knowingly adding thousands of square feet of a non-biodegradable substance to the environment, when we could be a lot more responsible.

I think most everyone tries to be a good steward of the environment (or at least 99.99% of the population). But, some things seem way over the top and there is hardly ever any tolerance when it comes to environmentalist comments (for the most part). Everything is bad when it comes to the environment.

I got to thinking about your comment about adding thousands of square feet of non-biodegradable substance. So, I looked up the square footage of just the United States. It is 103,671,742,065,706 square feet. Adding 5,000 square feet in your comment ("thousands") would be 0.000000048 of the square footage of the US. Seems rather small when looking at it from that perspective. So releasing a few thousand balloons 6-7 times a year would add far fewer square feet of "trash", and make that number even smaller (add a couple/few 0s right after the decimal point).

In essence, the tradition of the releasing balloons has virtually zero impact.

 

[donahues17]

For me it is not so much about the destruction of the earth or it's creatures as it is about some douchebag that wants his name out there and a free ride. If it truly is harming our wildlife or planet, then so be it, axe the tradition. But this is about a guy that is trying to make the easy life. Why is he not suing millions of people that live in the United States that let off balloons to honor a lost loved one or those that buy them and let them off at birthday parties? This guy is an idiot, plain and simple.

 

[Hoosker Du]

Great album.

It is indeed. It blows me away how many great songs were on a debut album.

 

[Hoosker Du]

I think most everyone tries to be a good steward of the environment (or at least 99.99% of the population). But, some things seem way over the top and there is hardly ever any tolerance when it comes to environmentalist comments (for the most part). Everything is bad when it comes to the environment.

I got to thinking about your comment about adding thousands of square feet of non-biodegradable substance. So, I looked up the square footage of just the United States. It is 103,671,742,065,706 square feet. Adding 5,000 square feet in your comment ("thousands") would be 0.000000048 of the square footage of the US. Seems rather small when looking at it from that perspective. So releasing a few thousand balloons 6-7 times a year would add far fewer square feet of "trash", and make that number even smaller (add a couple/few 0s right after the decimal point).

In essence, the tradition of the releasing balloons has virtually zero impact.

What a short-sighted way of looking at things. But that's your right.

 

[timnsun]

What a short-sighted way of looking at things. But that's your right.

It's called putting things in perspective.

I have no dog in the fight as I don't have strong feelings one way or the other. But all PvilleHuskerTim was doing was putting it in perspective.

 

[old person]

How about pigeons ? they are biodegradable and the hawks love them!

 

[Hoosker Du]

You/your family likely create more pollution and garbage in a single day than 7-8 home games worth of balloons.

I get your point of minimizing our own carbon footprint, but this is still one of the more ridiculous comments I've read on this site. First of all, I haven't littered in decades, because I take pride in my community, and it honestly makes me ill watching people not give it a second thought when they throw trash out of their car.

I just think of the easiest way to impact our environment, and not releasing balloons would be of the easiest on the list.

 

[jteten]

I get your point of minimizing our own carbon footprint, but this is still one of the more ridiculous comments I've read on this site. First of all, I haven't littered in decades, because I take pride in my community, and it honestly makes me ill watching people not give it a second thought when they throw trash out of their car.

I just think of the easiest way to impact our environment, and not releasing balloons would be of the easiest on the list.

Kinda goes back to my original post. As long as its easy, humans will (might?) do it, yet when its a challenge to do the right thing for the environment, or actually impact themselves financially to do the right things........crickets. Most of this discussion gets bogged down by semantics, because we likely agree regarding litter and controlling what we can easily control. Oh well, humans are all hypocrites in one way or another.

 

[nu2u]

Where were all these people when Bo Pelini was polluting the environment all those years?

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

I like wide mouth aluminum cans for my beer but I don't recycle. I do drive my wife's hybrid to the Kwik Shop to get it though, so I figure the two cancel each other out.

 

[PvilleHuskerTim]

It's called putting things in perspective.

I have no dog in the fight as I don't have strong feelings one way or the other. But all PvilleHuskerTim was doing was putting it in perspective.

You are correct. Just providing a different perspective on things.

I try to do what I can for the environment. I don't throw trash out of my car. My thermostat is set low in the winter and high in the summer (although I will admit that is partially/mostly to save costs). Do a little bit of recycling.

There are much bigger things in this world that have more of an impact on the environment than releasing some balloons. I've worked in L.A. too many times, and the smog and pollution there is terrible. Maybe the California governor should mandate that only electric cars can be used by California residents? All the wildfire out west and in Canada lately have not been good. Maybe the government should cut down all the trees so something like this won't happen again? Just a couple of very absurd scenarios, to me, but a person would be surprised at what is actually being discussed out there under a zero tolerance approach.

 

[Hoosker Du]

It's called putting things in perspective.

I have no dog in the fight as I don't have strong feelings one way or the other. But all PvilleHuskerTim was doing was putting it in perspective.

That's where we disagree. That's like saying it's OK if an employee rarely steals from the till. Both instances encourage less than upstanding behavior, and many instances of bad behavior add up. Especially in a case where it would take very little effort on our part to make a positive change.

I'm far from militant about this. It just seems to me that if we can make a positive change...that would require very little effort on our part (actually requires more effort to offer the balloons), why not do so?

 

[Hoosker Du]

Kinda goes back to my original post. As long as its easy, humans will (might?) do it, yet when its a challenge to do the right thing for the environment, or actually impact themselves financially to do the right things........crickets. Most of this discussion gets bogged down by semantics, because we likely agree regarding litter and controlling what we can easily control. Oh well, humans are all hypocrites in one way or another.

I think there are more people out there than you think that are serious about making a major impact on their carbon footprint. Don't be such a cynic. There are lots of tree-hugger types out there doing good things for the environment.

 

[timnsun]

That's where we disagree. That's like saying it's OK if an employee rarely steals from the till. Both instances encourage less than upstanding behavior, and many instances of bad behavior add up. Especially in a case where it would take very little effort on our part to make a positive change.

I'm far from militant about this. It just seems to me that if we can make a positive change...that would require very little effort on our part (actually requires more effort to offer the balloons), why not do so?

I'm not opposed to stopping this tradition, nor am I opposed to keeping it. I won't be upset either way. What you say here makes sense. Just pointing out that PvilleHuskerTim added some perspective to this argument.

We live in a society that values the ability to choose things, even if they aren't good for you. The question is, who else does it affect? I'm thankful smoking has been removed from most public places, because of the effect it had on me. What's harder to quantify with the balloons is who it affects negatively. It doesn't hurt me or anyone around me, so what's the harm? When you don't see the harm it becomes easier to make a case for something that has been done for decades.

Maybe the balloons do need to stop. Either way, I'm not gonna lose a ton of sleep over this one.

 

[Charlie Marlow]

link

 

[timnsun]

link

Ironically I saw this earlier today. Good video to remind us of the effect we have on God's creation.

 

[Charlie Marlow]

Ironically I saw this earlier today. Good video to remind us of the effect we have on God's creation.

Plus a waste of taxpayer dollars tying up valuable police time.

 

[LagunaHusker]

How about some red fireworks until a Lib gets worked up about fireworks. Libs generally are sorry fv@kers.

 

[The_Glove_Man]

Doesn't the university have a huge research and innovation campus? Make some biodegradable balloons and use another gas that is lighter than helium. Problem solved.

I love the tradition, but helium is not renewable and could be used for better applications. And I can't stand when somebody throws a cigarette butt out the window, so a ton of balloons becoming litter should upset me if I am not being hypocritical.

Another gas lighter than helium? Bwahaha! Heard of the Hindenburg?

 

[c2o]

I think this argument is stupid.
The balloons released after the first touchdown of each home game doesn't make a damn bit of difference in the grand scheme of things.

If you want to make a difference in the environment, and you are talking about some balloons in Nebraska, you should be slapped from side to side.

 

[GretnaShawn]

Another gas lighter than helium? Bwahaha! Heard of the Hindenburg?

I meant lighter than air. But either way, I was terrible at science in high school and it is showing now.

Edit- after a quick Google search, there is not any real alternatives for gases lighter than air that aren't explosive. I fully admit that I am dumb at science.

 

[NikkiSixx]

I think this argument is stupid.
The balloons released after the first touchdown of each home game doesn't make a damn bit of difference in the grand scheme of things.

If you want to make a difference in the environment, and you are talking about some balloons in Nebraska, you should be slapped from side to side.

The collective landfill mess comes from this exact way of thinking. People think their own trash isn't significant, yet when it's added up, it is exactly how we get these huge messes.

 

[Hoosker Du]

I think this argument is stupid.
The balloons released after the first touchdown of each home game doesn't make a damn bit of difference in the grand scheme of things.

If you want to make a difference in the environment, and you are talking about some balloons in Nebraska, you should be slapped from side to side.

Ya see, that's where you couldn't be more wrong. Or didn't you watch the video up above?

Balloons that are filled with helium go up...but they eventually come down...somewhere they shouldn't.

 

[Hoosker Du]

link

Pretty compelling video of the problem caused by releasing helium balloons. Great find.

 

[Hoosker Du]

I meant lighter than air. But either way, I was terrible at science in high school and it is showing now.

Edit- after a quick Google search, there is not any real alternatives for gases lighter than air that aren't explosive. I fully admit that I am dumb at science.

But it would make for a helluva fireworks display.

 

[Hoosker Du]

How about some red fireworks until a Lib gets worked up about fireworks. Libs generally are sorry fv@kers.

I think it would be very cool if they replaced the balloons with fireworks after each TD. They could easily do so, but they see the balloons as extra revenue. Not sure how much revenue they bring in, but I'm sure that's the reason why they don't want to get rid of the balloons.

 

[jteten]

I think there are more people out there than you think that are serious about making a major impact on their carbon footprint. Don't be such a cynic. There are lots of tree-hugger types out there doing good things for the environment.

I blame living in Chicago for my cynical nature...or the history of humanity. Either way, with regard to believing that humans are innately selfless, as opposed to innately selfish, I'm a lost cause. Which is odd because I am an overwhelmingly positive dude.

 

[jay-cheese]

See no evil=feel no evil. That's simply the reality for a majority of the human race. As long as I don't have to deal with it first hand, than it's fine. I hate that mentality b/c that's how problems escalate to a level where we all DO have to deal with it eventually firsthand..

That hazardous smoke from fireworks explosion can't be healthy or good for the environment either-if we are really going to be that nit-picky on things. I believe they already are doing fireworks for scores (or at least a very large bang for each score...they've incorrectly set it off a couple times last year when the whoever is in charge thought we scored and we didn't...or there was a flag, etc.).

If they aren't already, make certain the balloons and string are biodegradable and call it good (or start asking for a donation on the balloons and put the proceeds towards a green initiative). The reality is the amount of carbon footprint created just to get all parties in for a game (both teams, refs, media, fans, trash, paper used, plastic, etc) is significantly more anything balloons will do if you really think about it

GBR

 

[HuskersMan34]

Thanks for keeping us alert to mental disease. It's obvious you can identify it.

I think you meant "suffer from it."

 

[Hoosker Du]

I blame living in Chicago for my cynical nature...or the history of humanity. Either way, with regard to believing that humans are innately selfless, as opposed to innately selfish, I'm a lost cause. Which is odd because I am an overwhelmingly positive dude.

You're OK man. You make sense to me most of the time, which I'm not sure is a good thing for you or not. I'm probably right there with you on not necessarily being too terribly cynical, but certainly skeptical on many things.

 

[LagunaHusker]

See no evil=feel no evil. That's simply the reality for a majority of the human race. As long as I don't have to deal with it first hand, than it's fine. I hate that mentality b/c that's how problems escalate to a level where we all DO have to deal with it eventually firsthand..

That hazardous smoke from fireworks explosion can't be healthy or good for the environment either-if we are really going to be that nit-picky on things. I believe they already are doing fireworks for scores (or at least a very large bang for each score...they've incorrectly set it off a couple times last year when the whoever is in charge thought we scored and we didn't...or there was a flag, etc.).

If they aren't already, make certain the balloons and string are biodegradable and call it good (or start asking for a donation on the balloons and put the proceeds towards a green initiative). The reality is the amount of carbon footprint created just to get all parties in for a game (both teams, refs, media, fans, trash, paper used, plastic, etc) is significantly more anything balloons will do if you really think about it

GBR

Exactly, the whole football game sports thing should be terminated cause it might cause some problem not yet identified.

 

[Charlie Marlow]

eco-stadium efforts

 

[anon_umk0ifu6vj6zi]

I can't believe nobody has taken my advice. All you have to do is put little paper rings (eco-friendly of course) around the ballons that say "balloon safe space". That way the animals will go nowhere near them. Problem solved.