Monday 8 March 2010

Will global warming be the death of the party balloon?


The passing years don't just mean that I am getting older, they also add to the number of times I've done mundane things like made beds, swept floors, cooked meals, hung washing and come home tired from work.
The years also mark the fact that I've done a heap of fun things including....... blowing up festive brightly-coloured balloons for birthdays, anniversaries, farewells and plain old Let's party! occasions.

This year I have inflated a slew of balloons for three separate events with party packs purchased from three different stores on the NSW North Coast which were not air-conditioned.

A large number of these balloons were obviously starting to show a degree of heat stress - some sticking together in the packet, others showing slight fading and a few slow leaks developing as they were inflated.

Which set me wondering - will such fragile things as party balloons retain a reasonable shelf life in the face of the record high temperatures Australia has been experiencing in recent years?
And what else might be found to last for relatively shorter periods in stock store rooms and on display shelves?


Balloon graphic from Google Images
2009 Annual Australian Climate Statement Map from BoM

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