NC Youth for Clear Skies and Seas

Ready to fight pollution?

Sign the petition.

Advocating for North Carolina’s beloved ecosystems.

NC Youth for Clear Skies and Seas is dedicated to eradicating pollution in the ecosystems we call home. Balloon releases send toxic and unnecessary waste to our landscapes. We call for the immediate passage of a law banning balloon releases in North Carolina to protect natural resources and human health.

Join the Movement

Actions

Petition

Add your name to support the ban of balloon releases.

Sign-On Letter

Join our coalition of

organizations and businesses against balloon pollution.

Curriculum

Teach elementary, middle, and high school students about pollution and advocacy.

Host an Event

Bring our experts to you in-person in the Triangle, or over video anywhere.

As Seen On:

  • Title: Balloon Litter: The Facts NC Youth for Clear Skies and Seas clearskiesandseas.com Contact: info@clearskiesandseas.com Teal and yellow logo Teal and navy balloons caught in tree slightly overlap title
  • Title: Balloon releases endanger animals Turtles mistake balloons for jellyfish, causing significant fatalities.² Released balloons land on farms, get mixed into feed, and kill livestock.³ Ballons are 32 times more deadly than hard plastic when ingested by seabirds.⁴ Image of juvenile turtle being held with balloon string coming from neck
  • Title: Balloon releases burden infrastructure. Mylar balloons in power lines cause up to 20% of power outages nationally.³ (linear clip art of power lines) Without widespread recycling solutions, balloons are destined for the dump.⁵ (linear clip art of trash heap with flies and smell lines)
  • Title: Balloon litter adds to the microplastic health crisis. Balloons never biodegrade. (bold) Made from petroleum-based nylon and metallized films, mylar balloons fracture into microplastics.⁵ Image of pink latex balloon tangled with purple and white plastic strings and seaweed with shoreline in background. Latex balloons advertised to be “biodegradable” failed to break down in multiple research studies. ⁷
  • 9,000 balloons were counted on beaches nationwide 2019-2022.⁵ (next to linear clip art of balloon) What can we do? (large bold)
  • Title: Pass SB20 in North Carolina. North Carolina can become the 12th state to ban balloon releases this year. 17 states have introduced a balloon ban bill.⁸ This movement is nationwide, bipartisan, and a no brainer. Image of flying North Carolina flag on flagpole
  • Title: How do we do it? Sign our Petition. Engage NC Youth. Tell the Senate Standing Committee of the North Carolina General Assembly we need a balloon release ban now. Access our balloon pollution and policy curriculum. Designed for educators with resources for all ages, students will learn about advocacy and the environment. Join the Movement. Join NC Youth for Clear Skies and Seas to protect our landscapes and health and push for the passage of a balloon release ban. Image of NC General Assembly building at sunset
  • Title: Get Started NC Youth for Clear Skies and Seas logo (circular with bold white text; teal to yellow gradient with linear wave pattern, birds flying) ClearSkiesandSeas.com
Sources
  1. Kemp’s ridley after ingesting a balloon. (2026). Balloons Blow; Mote Marine Laboratory. https://balloonsblow.org/photo-gallery/gallery/balloons-blow-gallery/
  2. Schuyler, Q., Hardesty, B. D., Wilcox, C., & Townsend, K. (2012). To Eat or Not to Eat? Debris Selectivity by Marine Turtles. PLoS ONE, 7(7), e40884. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0040884
  3. Trapani, C., Register K., O’Hara, K., Huntington, Z. (2025). Littered Balloons in Virginia’s Coastal Environment: 2014 to 2024 monitoring results, Fisherman Island, Virginia. Clean Virginia Waterways, Virginia Beach, VA.
  4. University of Tasmania. “Balloons the number 1 marine debris risk of mortality for seabirds.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 1 March 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190301084847.htm.
  5. Balloon Policy Toolkit. (2022, June 15). Surfrider Foundation. https://ee5-files.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/publications/Balloon-Policy-Toolkit-061622-Final.pdf
  6. Balloon Pollution. (2026). Balloons Blow. https://balloonsblow.org/photo-gallery/gallery/balloons-blow-gallery-10/
  7. Gilmour, M. E., & Lavers, J. L. (2021). Latex balloons do not degrade uniformly in freshwater, marine and composting environments. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 403, 123629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123629
  8. Legislation. (2025, September 1). Balloon Mission. https://balloonmission.org/legislation/
  • A heavily degraded and faded mylar balloon sits on a wet sidewalk next to a shredded latex balloon now resembling a jellyfish.
    Emerald Isle, NC
  • A mylar balloon that is so degraded it is now clear and crinkled sits on a blue tablecloth outdoors.
    Atlantic Beach, NC
  • Blue foil balloon with “Happy Birthday” and yellow smiley faces degrading caught in twigs and leaves on a forest floor
    Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC
  • A light pink mylar balloon being held up in front of the beach on a cloudy day.
    Emerald Isle, NC
  • Two pastel gradient mylar balloons tangled on the beach, partially buried in sand
    Topsail Beach, NC
  • One or two heavily degraded and faded mylar balloons partially covered by sand on the beach. The balloon strings are caught on a dried seaweed twig emerging from the sand dune.
    Emerald Isle, NC
  • Black foil balloon with “celebrate,” rainbow candles, and multicolor confetti graphics sits deflated on dirt and leaves
    Spring Hope, NC

Balloons in our state

Dedicated community members regularly find balloon pollution.

Document balloon litter across NC and add to our statewide database!

Earn a certificate for submitting photos of litter!

Report litter

Partners

get involved

Youth Team

Passionate for the environment? Love to be outdoors? Join us!

North Carolinians ages 18-22 are encouraged to join NC Youth for Clear Skies and Seas to directly advance our mission. Team members assist by facilitating educational events, documenting balloon litter, creating outreach media, researching policies, and expanding our network.

No experience with policy work or environmental studies needed. Bring enthusiasm for teamwork, leadership, and our planet.

Learn More
Sand path to beach on a sunny day with some white clouds. Path is lined by grasses and sea oats, with a person in the distance in the middle of the view of the path sitting on the beach.

NC Youth for Clear Skies and Seas is a coalition of young people, organizations, and businesses across North Carolina urgently calling for a balloon release ban to protect public health, infrastructure, and natural resources.

Join the Movement

Donate here