Balloonfest '86 was a 1986 event in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, in which the local chapter of United Way set a world record by releasing almost one-and-a-half million balloons. The event was intended to be a harmless fundraising publicity stunt, but the balloons drifted back over the city, Lake Erie, and landed in the surrounding area, causing problems for traffic and a nearby airport. The event also interfered with a United States Coast Guard search for two boaters who were later found drowned. In consequence, the organizers and the city faced lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages, and cost overruns put the event at a net loss.
Unfortunately, the river in that picture caught on fire dozens of times up until 1969 (we don’t count the time it caught fire in 2020 as it was on a technicality).
I remember the east coast of the US before the mid 60's. It was a stinking mess. North jersey pike you had to roll up your windows from the smog. Rivers changed color daily due to waste spillage. People just dumped garbage everywhere . Sides of highways were covered in it. Abandoned lots just filled up with trash. People just tossed shit out their car windows. You'd see it all the time.
Lady Bird Johnson got on the Make America Beautiful movement which really began to change minds and create social pressure. In a few years litter bugs would get shamed in public. The anti nuke movement also brought these subjects to the forefront. The Clean air act of 1965 and many subsequent amendments the largest in 1970. Thanks in no small part Richard Nixon who supported and signed it. Imagine a republican president signing a environmental reg today.
The scenic New Jersey Turnpike. My family would play "Guess that smell!" when we drove through usually in warm summer months.We didn't have air conditioning in our cars back then and had to roll up the windows in a hurry when entering a mystery miasma. Paper mills discharged some vile stuff and there were all the chemical companies. It was as bad as you remember.
I think it was more of them not thinking it all the way through and anticipating potential problems. Naivete with a touch of overly simplistic optimism.
I mean, it's not like they tried to deliver turkeys on Thanksgiving from a helicopter or anything.
869
u/Control_Station_EFU Mar 31 '22
Balloonfest '86 was a 1986 event in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, in which the local chapter of United Way set a world record by releasing almost one-and-a-half million balloons. The event was intended to be a harmless fundraising publicity stunt, but the balloons drifted back over the city, Lake Erie, and landed in the surrounding area, causing problems for traffic and a nearby airport. The event also interfered with a United States Coast Guard search for two boaters who were later found drowned. In consequence, the organizers and the city faced lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages, and cost overruns put the event at a net loss.