Ban balloons and remove a threat to our birdlife, turtles and other marine life

Maybe this is a beautiful and emotive
sight, but it can be lethal for our birds.

Releasing balloons en masse into the sky to mark funerals and other ceremonies is killing birds, say scientists who have called for the practice to be banned.

"Balloons are a huge threat, not only to birds, but turtles and other marine life," said Fiona Maxwell, campaigner with the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

"It certainly is time for us to come up with less polluting ways to celebrate."

Dr Jenn Lavers, a biologist at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, in Hobart, says she finds balloons "in about one in 20 of every seabirds I examine".

Read The Sydney Morning Herald story - “Ban balloons to save birds, say scientists.”

Record gathering Beneath the Wisteria

Today’s Beneath the Wisteria was a record.



Climate change sets
records and Beneath
the Wisteria sets
new highs.

The records, although there are none save my rather suspect memory, suggest we had more people than ever before gather Beneath the Wisteria to consider our response to climate change.

We had 27 people join us this morning, although the numbers were boosted by having five candidates from the forthcoming September 7 election and discuss their ideals and values, particularly as it applies to addressing climate change.

Before today our previous highest number of attendees was 23, but today it was difficult to keep track for the some arrived late and others left early.

Among the candidates who joined us were:  Rod Higgins (Australian Labor Party), Ian Cristoe (Australian Greens, representing Damien Stevens), Fern Summer (Bullet Train for Australia), Catriona Thoolen (Palmer United Party), and Sharman Stone (the sitting Member for Murray of the Liberal Party).

Supporter, John Pettigrew, was the master of ceremonies (a rather grand title for a somewhat humble and informal group), allowed each candidate a few minutes to state their case, followed by questions from the assembled group.

A morning of robust discussion that maybe did not make it clear who should attract a vote, but the opposite (who you wouldn’t vote for) appeared in clear relief.

Shepparton Community Fund CEO, Lisa McKenzie, has invited Beneath the Wisteria and the Slap Tomorrow committee to be involved in the October 19 and 20 “Show Me Greater Shepparton” expo.

Lisa suggested we could have a stand for one, either or both of the organizations, that someone from either of the groups could speak for 15 minutes on either or both days and that a Beneath the Wisteria  session could possibly be staged at the expo.

Comments about the suggestion are welcome, and encouraged.