Helicopter Egg Drop: Environmental Hazard or Fun Day at the Park?

This week's story letting residents know about Dunedin's helicopter egg drop sparked some interesting discussion from readers about environmental concerns.

Some Dunedin Patch readers are focused on the 10,000 plastic eggs from Sunny Bunny Easter Eggs, a Missouri-based company whose primary goal is to provide meaningful employment to people with disabilities. The eggs are being dropped from helicopters hovering 20 feet over Highlander Park.

Some Dunedin Patch commenters say the plastic eggs are environmentally hazardous to wildlife and are not biodegradable. 

Others say the egg drop is being done in a controlled manner, and no plastic eggs will likely be left behind. Plus, the excitement of seeing them dropped from helicopters will attract people — including themselves — to spend the day there.

The story sparked much debate since it was published on Thursday. Here, we've highlighted just a few of the insightful comments from readers.

What say you? 

• Liz Taylor: What an awful plan this is! Why would anyone want to introduce this much plastic into the environment in such a scattershot fashion? What is to prevent eggs from rolling off into ponds, waterways and storm drains? What of herons or gulls that mistake these for food? At least with real eggs any left behind will be consumed by scavengers or degrade naturally.
• Trent Steel: Pretty sure they thought of all that and are doing it in a controlled manner. That's why they are doing it from a height of 20 feet... Now if you're just against plastic Easter eggs all together that's a different story. I say let the children enjoy their prizes and the excitement of seeing this spectacle. Maybe you should go watch the drop and see for yourself if any of the eggs go astray.
• Stephanie Farren: City events should be planned with environment in consideration. 10,000 Plastic eggs manufactured and shipped from China as well as the gas and money spent on the helicopters is not nature friendly. I feel the same way about all the plastic beads thrown all over for Mardi Gras. I see them hanging off the trees and in the bushes afterwards. The eggs and beads that are not left behind end up in the garbage making more trash.
• Minnee D.: Paranoid environmentalists.. I recycle everyday and consider myself green worthy and am a mother hence i realize like other parents have posted that like in the event of ANY public Easter egg hunt there couldn't be a more energetic and willing crowd to help scoop up the plastic eggs to call their own but children of all ages. I swore up and down that i would never take my timid son to another public Easter egg hunt event because he's too 'nice' to shove the other kids out of the way to get to the eggs but i think in an event like this with the mass amount of eggs being dropped and distributed he might actually get more than two in his basket this time. And watch in awe alongside others including myself at the egg drop taking place from the air. How cool is that. As stated, there are volunteers after the event who will clean up the extras, if there is any. Overall, I think it's a fantastic fun new age idea!

Related Coverage:

• Helicopters to Drop Thousands of Easter Eggs in Dunedin
• Egg Hunts Today in Dunedin

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