This morning Poppy Scotland released 46,000 petals from the Wallace Monument in Stirling, in memorial of the dead at Arras. A poignant moment.

However, the surrounding countryside is now littered with 46,000 paper objects.

I feel a bit annoyed by the littering… Am I out of order?

Presumably biodegradable?

If so then I probably get more leaves than that in my garden in the autumn which make more of a mess.

Whilst i totally agree with the sentiment, that does seem daft, they must know that is just creating litter (maybe they are rice paper or similar that rots, like confetti), i think there would be better uses of the money to veterans?

I feel a bit annoyed by the littering… Am I out of order?

Yes.

Assume made of thin paper? So basically wood?

Will rot and breakdown pretty quickly. What’s the problem?

Presumably biodegradable?

It does feel like tissue/rice paper. Nothing on the press release to confirm they are. What they do is release some dye – one white car in the car park has a patch on it already…

No, I don’t think you are out of order. Unless they are designed to decompose quickly then it’s littering on a grand scale and I can’t abide littering.

one white car in the car park has a patch on it already…

If the dye is released so quickly guess it’s water based? Which will rub off very easily?

Do you not think they would of had to get permission to do this and all of this questions would of been asked by the EA/LA etc.

Fireworks
Chinese Lanterns
Plastic duck/balloon races

I’m afraid that few organisations consider the environmental impact of their activities.

Can I add the ‘Three Peaks challenges’ style things as well – hundreds of folk littering mountains to raise money for a good cause.

In this case though I am really torn – I get why, and think it beautiful at first. But I thought they were real petals. But then paper vs petal on decomposition. Ho hum.

Whilst i totally agree with the sentiment, that does seem daft, they must know that is just creating litter (maybe they are rice paper or similar that rots, like confetti), i think there would be better uses of the money to veterans?

+1

The litter would piss me off, whether biodegradeable or not it’s still a pointless waste of resources.

I’d rather whatever money raised by the poppy appeal was paying for something useful like PTSD counseling, carbon fiber legs than some artsy circlejerk.

I’d rather whatever money raised by the poppy appeal was paying for something useful like PTSD counseling, carbon fiber legs than some artsy circlejerk.

It’s a balance though isn’t it between what it costs to do and the value in donations of the extra publicity. Personally the falling poppies don’t offend me and I think the symbolism of the fallen represented by the falling works. The projection mapping turning into a look what we can do show I could do without though

scotroutes – Member

Fireworks
Chinese Lanterns
Plastic duck/balloon races

I’m afraid that few organisations consider the environmental impact of their activities.

Chinese firecrackers were banned in the UK due to the amount (and to a lesser extent type) of litter they created.

If they’re not careful they’ll get a massive fine.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/15/litter-police-paid-bonuses-hand-fines-public-investigation-finds/

Nope – you are absolutely right. Its useless use of resources so polluting even if it degrades over time, it diverting money that could be used for good and its an exercise in jingoism.

Its useless use of resources so polluting even if it degrades over time, it diverting money that could be used for good and its an exercise in jingoism.

Not if it means something to those who lost friends and comrades while risking their own lives to give you the freedom to express your opinion on a public forum. I agree that sometimes it can be seen to celebrate rather than commemorate and I don’t like that either. I think tj you are as respectful of the dead as anyone but I don’t think your wording reflects that.

avdave.

I have huge respect for the war dead and more understanding than many civilians of the personal cost to them. However displays like this do nothing at all to help those traumatised veterans and the families of the dead.

How much did this cost? How much actual good could that money have done?

That and I hate the littering / pollution of stunts like this

If you’re that unhappy about them why not pick them up instead of bleating on the Web.

I feel a bit annoyed by the littering… Am I out of order?

No, it’s littering, just the same as if I done similar to commemorate a loved one.

Littering is my preferred method of commemorating the dead.

I’m kinda torn.. Whilst I like the sentiment, it’s no different really to throwing a paper mcdonalds bag out of a car window.

Fireworks
Chinese Lanterns
Plastic duck/balloon races

Fireworks have to be properly licenced, and I don’t have a problem with them, Chinese lanterns are a bloody menace and should be banned outright, and balloon races, provided they use the old-school thin rubber balloons, aren’t too much of an issue, as they break down fairly quickly, but the Mylar or whatever the stuff is the shiny ones are made from should be banned, because that never breaks down.
Duck races are no issue at all, because they’re easily corralled at the end of the race, and any that ‘escape’ are easily caught.

Balloons Blow

I’m don’t think that rubber balloons are that great either. Even if they did break down quickly they still cause issues to wildlife.

It’s probably easy to get wrapped up in the wrongs of balloons, falling paper poppies and the such like when it’s drawn to your attention, but in the grand scale of environment things that you could moan or get active about to make a difference, it’s a gnat’s fart in an cow field.

But sure, let’s not refuse to buy excessively packaged food, presents, Easter eggs or whatever because it suits us actually, and instead pick on a commemoration.

Not aiming at anyone, just making a general point 🙂

Rubber is one thing, helium is another. Once all our He2 is gone, that’s it. And that’s not a good thing…

and its an exercise in jingoism.

From Wiki – Jingoism is nationalism in the form of aggressive foreign policy.Jingoism also refers to a country’s advocacy for the use of threats or actual force, as opposed to peaceful relations, in efforts to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests.

From the Cambridge Dictionary – the extreme belief that your own country is always best, often shown in enthusiastic support for a war against another country:

How is remembering 46,000 Scottish casualties of a lost battle jingoism?

How much did this cost? How much actual good could that money have done?

So we shouldn’t be doing a lot of things if the money could be used better in a more direct manner?

Why have any organised charity events?

Why sponsor anyone to do an event?

How much did this cost? How much actual good could that money have done?

It was a fundraiser, you could “sponsor” a petal for a donation.

And? Its still wasting money.

And? Its still wasting money.

Is advertising “wasting money”?

squirrelking – Member
Once all our He2 is gone, that’s it. And that’s not a good thing…

Erm…That’d be rubbish for filling balloons.