There is no doubt that the floating lantern craze is intensifying. However, without conscious purchasing decisions the fun of sky lanterns could ultimately become something that people can only talk about because they could end up banned in the United Kingdom. Why? Because people buy cheap, substandard lanterns rather than paying just a small bit more for better quality lanterns that are environmentally responsible. Eco lanterns are the best choice for many reasons, read on to see why.
Eco Lanterns are the Best Quality
Choosing paper lanterns should not be about price alone because you truly get what you pay for. Better quality products are going to yield a better experience. Eco lanterns are truly top quality and provide a great viewing experience that is reliable and consistent. The typical Eco Lantern has properly treated paper making the it fire resistant which helps guarantee excellent flights but also no fires should the lantern not take off as it was intended. Instead of lighting on fire, the paper actually will serve to put out a flame or prevent a hot ember from catching anything on fire. Only premium lanterns, such as the Eco lantern have this feature.
On top of providing the safest experience, premium quality lanterns are some of the easiest to use. With many inexpensive lanterns, there is assembly involved and the process to attach the fuel cell can be quite messy. Premium quality versions have pre-attached fuel cells meaning setup is as easy as taking the lantern from the packaging, unfolding it and lighting the fuel cell when you are ready.
Eco Lanterns are Environmentally Responsible
While all paper lanterns claim to be 100% biodegradable, this must be looked at a little closer to understand why Eco lanterns are the most environmentally responsible choice. Any manufacturer can claim 100% biodegradability because they can honestly say that eventually all the components in their lantern will break down. The paper portion of all lanterns will go first and will typically break down quite quickly when exposed to the elements. However, many lanterns have a wire support structure for all or part of the lantern and this wire will eventually rust away into nothingness but this can take months, if not longer, depending on the conditions. 100% biodegradable, yes, but with a big caveat that the process is going to take quite a while. Eco lanterns have no wire and instead use bamboo and a treated wool instead which both break down much quicker.
Eco Lanterns Protect Livestock
The wire structure is the biggest problem with many sky lanterns and why people should make the choice of Eco lanterns. Typical launches of floating lanterns are done in areas where there are farms around and when the lantern touches down, it starts degrading quickly. However, the wire stays for quite a while and can end up being eaten by grazing livestock or it can be processed as part of a bale of hay, and could then be ingested later when that hay is used or by another farmer who purchased the hay. This wire represents a huge danger to live stock and cheap lanterns represent angry farmers who are beginning to clamor for a ban on all lantern products. Eco Lanterns lack this wire portion and are of absolutely no danger to livestock making them the best way to keep farmers happy while enjoying the site of floating lanterns.
