I thought long and hard about whether I would make this post, but decided that I would, as when I pointed out that releasing balloons into the air can be extremely harmful to wildlife, it became apparent that some people didn't realise that this would be the result. If this post can advise a few more people of the harm that some of things we do can have on our wildlife, it will have been worth it.
The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, many species are in serious decline and we need to do all that we can to protect them. It also seemed the right time to point out the harms that some Halloween practices can have on our wildlife.
Millions of pumpkins will be bought over the period leading up to Halloween, some of the intricate carvings are beautiful, but they need to be properly disposed of. They should not be left in woodland and places where hedgehogs might be tempted to eat the flesh inside the pumpkin. It can make them seriously unwell, causes d
iarrhoea, they then lose weight and will not have enough fat reserves to see them through the winter when they hibernate. Hedgehogs are facing a serious decline and we need to do all we can to help them survive. Using the flesh for soups and pies can be a good way of disposing of it, another is to compost it.
Another Halloween practice which is extremely dangerous for birds and bats, is the use of fake spider's webs. Birds and bats can become entangled in the webbing and suffer a long and painful death. The webbing also contains plastic, is very light and can be blown away, causing more damage to the environment. Fake spider's webs should be confined to indoor use, where it cannot harm bats and birds and can be properly disposed of.
I hope that this thread doesn't attract the usual comments when I make a post, because it is is intended that others can also post about ways in which we can stop the serious decline in our wildlife.
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/about-hedgehogs/why-are-they-disappearing/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-63426864https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/shopping/amazon-halloween-decoration-spider-cobweb-27722760https://news.sky.com/story/dont-leave-halloween-pumpkins-in-woodlands-people-warned-12734903https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/littleknown-reason-we-shouldnt-be-decorating-our-homes-with-fake-spider-webs/news-story/a2cbf4cb4c353f2c5036b521b978fc71https://www.ecowatch.com/balloons-pollution-map-2645531901.htmlhttps://www.forestryengland.uk/news/dumping-pumpkins-the-woods-bad-wildlife-says-forestry-england-expert 
Comments
All hallows evening is a Christian event where people were urged to remember and pray for the souls of the departed. All Saints Day I think it might also be known as.
Now it is a vapid Americanised wastefest.
I am completely sympathetic and allied to the original post by ME14. It doesn’t take much to help save creatures and plant wildlife and allow diversity in nature.
Back to the OP
I could not agree more about the environmental impact of all the single use shit bought from China to essentially follow and American event Ive got no interest in that yet am expected to put up with kids and their thick as pigshit parents whose only qualification for motherhood is having a womb to catch the spunk of one or several of the local scumbags gazing gormlessly into their phones while my door gets knocked and the bell rung setting all my animals off multiple times when we clearly haven't got anything on display indicating we give one shiny shit about the pox of that night.
Well said @ME14addick I don't have to agree with everything everyone says on here and they certainly don't in regards the tripe I contribute however I make you right here
Near to where I live, there was an outcry on social media when some fake webbing was removed from a local iconic sculpture. It wasn't until someone (not me) pointed out how harmful the webbing could be to wildlife, that some admitted that they weren't aware of what could happen. I hope that by reading this post, a few more who might not have been aware, will now not use fake webbing outside.
I used to be surprised at the amount of tampon applicators that could be found on the beach and I was horrified at the thought of what people might be doing for these things to be out at sea. It's since become apparent that most of them get there because of sewage dumping by our despicable money-grabbing water companies. So, a plea to anyone using those products. Please don't flush them. Dispose of them in a manner that won't see them washed up on the beach.
This is also the appropriate way to start the conversation on this forum.
I have worked in the charitable sector for over 16 years and I see the good that can be done by making a donation in memory of a loved one. The releasing of 1000 balloons would be an extremely destructive act.
https://www.tescoplc.com/news/2021/shoppers-can-now-return-all-their-soft-plastic-packaging-to-recycling-points-at-every-large-tesco-store-in-the-uk/
I now recycle food, hard and soft plastic and paper/cardboard.
My general rubbish is pretty insubstantial since.
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2. More commonly known about (I think), is the 5 minute beach clean:
https://www.5minutefoundation.org/
It's a great idea and ever since I heard of it I have been unable to go to a beach and not collect a bag of rubbish whilst there. On my own it isn't a great impact but imagine if you get get everyone globally to join!
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3. Other things I do, incase anyone wants to make some changes.
1. Use eco deodorant
https://www.getfussy.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=13524904923&utm_content=128441714121&utm_term=fussy_e&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhfipBhCqARIsAH9msbkOCL4DQMHuTRRS76_0xuM3MVLI3AmPT7Ug4kwrR-8yOFxNzLONC8saAtNeEALw_wcB
Was on Dragons den so thought I would give it a go, it's way better than the normal stuff I have used and eco friendly, a bit expensive is the only issue.
2. Get milkmaid to deliver my milk rather than buy plastic cartons.
3. Use Freecycle and charity shops to move on items I don't want any more. Cuts down trips to the dump and amazing what other people will re-home and make use of. I used Freecycle quite a lot to get things when I first bought my house and when my kids were younger. A perfect table tennis table; two perfect IKEA wardrobes, a turbo bike trainer, a perfect wood dining table and chairs just some of the things I have picked up through it.
4. Ecococnut scrub dish cleaner.
https://www.naturalcollection.com/shop/ecococonut-scourer---twin-pack-by-ecococonut/?PCode=DSGPESS15&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhfipBhCqARIsAH9msbk2-OjEM0wVfqIQa4gdhEskSWPYSdui-S9nQEOmedmF-b9CROeyDkcaAkfPEALw_wcB
Better than any of the plastic ones, cleans well. Lasts ages so probably cost effective. Eco-friendly. Wouldn't ever change this now.
Be interested to hear what other people do, large and small that I may then look to adopt.
The same people are now trying to hi-jack this thread.
Just take a walk around Dartford heath to see the pollution.