- Mylar balloons are pretty tough but will look wrinkled and out of shape if it gets too cold or if not fully inflated.
- Helium expands in heat so mylar balloons tend to pop in higher temperatures.
- Mylar balloons float better at sea level and not as well at higher elevations.
- Latex balloons are biodegradable and decompose as fast as an oak leaf in your backyard!
- Latex balloons come from rubber trees.
- Latex is collected by cutting the tree’s bark, then catching the latex in a cup.
- Latex harvesting does not hurt the tree!
- Latex balloons are earth-friendly! Rubber trees grow in rain forests.
- Latex harvesting discourages deforestation because latex-producing trees are left intact.
- A tree can produce latex for up to 40 years!
- Breathing in helium (or any other gas) from a pressurized tank, is VERY dangerous. Inhaling pressurized gas creates the possibility of rupturing a lung or creating an air embolism (gas bubbles in the blood that can cause seizures).
- Breathing in helium from a balloon, may also be very dangerous and may cause seizures.
- Rubber balloons were made by Professor Michael Faraday in 1824 for use in his experiments with hydrogen at the Royal Institution in London.Faraday made his balloons by cutting round two sheets of rubber laid together and pressing the edges together. The tacky rubber welded automatically, and the inside of the balloon was rubbed with flour to prevent the opposing surfaces joining together.
- Latex is a 100-percent natural substance that breaks down both in sunlight and water. The degradation process begins almost immediately. Oxidation, the “frosting” that makes latex balloons look as if they are losing their color, is one of the first signs of the process. Exposure to sunlight quickens the process, but natural microorganisms attack natural rubber even in the dark.
- Research shows that under similar environmental conditions, latex balloons will biodegrade at about the same rate as a leaf from an oak tree. The actual total degradation time will vary depending on the precise conditions.
- Often latex balloons are released either on purpose or accidentally. Research shows that most of these latex balloons—the ones that are well-tied and have no structural flaws—rise to an altitude of about five miles, where they freeze, breaking into spaghetti-like pieces that scatter as they return to earth
- Although many stories have been repeated about sea creatures dying from balloons, extensive research by the industry and reporters has yet to verify one such story. In one study of 439 dead sea cows over an 8-year period, Cathy Beck of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service did not find a single balloon inside a single deceased sea cow.
- Latex allergies present a moderate to serious health problem for a very small percentage of the population in the United States. Reactions to naturally produced latex (latex is a milky sap produced by rubber trees) may range from minor skin irritation to reactions so severe that immediate emergency medical treatment is required to prevent death.
- Incidentally, those most at risk of having an allergic reaction to latex are in the medical arena —doctors, nurses, dentists, technicians, and certain patients. These people are exposed to latex gloves and equipment which has latex on it. However, patients need not lose out on the joy and entertainment balloons bring to a hospital room. Since the late 1970s, the balloon industry and its retailers have been providing synthetic, metallized balloons that offer a wide range of festive colors, unique shapes and messages that make people feel good.
- How long do balloons last
- Latex Balloons 11″ – regular helium: 12 hours minimum, 18 hours maximum
- Latex Balloons 11″ – treated with hi-float: 2 days minimum, can last over 7 days
It has been calculated that a single breath from a mature blue whale can inflate up to 2,000 balloons.