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What NOT to take to graduation ceremonies

June 12, 2019 11:56 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Utilities | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Seattle City Light)

Hundreds more local high-school seniors will celebrate their graduation tomorrow, with Chief Sealth International HS‘s ceremony at 5 pm, West Seattle HS‘s ceremony at 8 pm, both at Southwest Athletic Complex. They will be cheered by family and friends, who often bring all sorts of celebratory items. One such item has drawn the attention of Seattle City Light: Mylar balloons. The utility has launched an awareness campaign to warn people that these balloons carry a unique risk, if they go astray, of causing power outages. If you want to use them anyway, SCL has some advice and requests – explained here.

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4 Replies to "What NOT to take to graduation ceremonies"

  • emfavell June 12, 2019 (12:01 pm)

    Mylar balloons are also harmful to the environment.  They are made of synthetic nylon with metallic coating and contribute heavily to oceanic waste.  

  • Alex S. June 12, 2019 (12:16 pm)

    Last time I was visiting Maui, there were PSAs playing on the radio telling kids and parents they should not bring metallic balloons to graduation.  The sponsor was the local utility company, so I would imagine those balloons had caused power outages in the past.

  • Michele June 12, 2019 (12:56 pm)

    Some cities have banned the release of balloons due to the environmental harm they causehttp://www.liherald.com/stories/long-beach-first-to-pass-balloon-ban-in-nassau,114104

    • KM June 12, 2019 (1:45 pm)

      I wish it was banned everywhere, and people cared enough not to release them, with or without a ban.

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