Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[SarahJo]

I saw some last night - though did take a few moments to figure out what they were. I then tried to decide for myself what exactly they were made of and how environmentally/safe they were

 

I then took our dog out for a walk today - and found some that had floated back down to earth - came home and googled - finding http://www.skylanternsonline.co.uk/9-heart-and-football-lanterns/ amongst other eco-lanterns and Macmillan charity ones

 

My brother saw some and thought they were UFOs - - now I wonder are they worth it and how many of you have sailed one or two into the night sky My 40th is coming up - along with ES birthday on the same day, so might get some

[Griffin]

My friend who is a farmer hates them with a passion because they're dangerous to livestock.

[SarahJo]

Ahhhh - I see you're point as the ones I found looked like they were scarves that had been lost in the snow, which were then revealed through the thaw, until closer inspection.

 

The eco-ones are made of rice paper and bamboo - so I wonder if they are better. I still question though as what went up does come down, and you could see the flame go out on the lanterns

 

I did have an immediate thought of littering - as these things must take a while to decompose

 

[Snowy]

I'm not keen - not too bad at this time of year, but as a camper I am paranoid about them coming down on my tent! I think the fire services have also had to attend farm and barn fires caused by them.

[CatieB]

Not just to livestock either, the metal ones can damage the machinery as they go over the fields and even if it doesnt there are then bits of metal in with the crop. Umm

 

Plus the fact some people just dont think. Last summer we were on a campsite (yes so FULL of tents) and were surrounded by fellow campers celebrating a 40th birthday who decided to let off numerous lanterns. Maybe I'm a scaredy cat but I was worried about the safety of it particualry as DS was asleep inside our tent as were many other kids. A fellow camper commented the next morning that they had previously been at an event where the lanterns had crashed back down and narrowly missed hurting someone.

[Space Chick]

Fluffyfeet nearly lost her tent at Tashas last year when some were let off at the campsite

 

I've never seen lwescott move so fast as he chased after it in full hero mode to save the tent

[Redwing]

Fluffyfeet nearly lost her tent at Tashas last year when some were let off at the campsite

 

I've never seen lwescott move so fast as he chased after it in full hero mode to save the tent

 

Yes he was a hero

 

I think the weather conditions have to be just right for these things

 

Which reminds me, we should set a date for this year's BBQ at my place

[Space Chick]

Fluffyfeet nearly lost her tent at Tashas last year when some were let off at the campsite

 

I've never seen lwescott move so fast as he chased after it in full hero mode to save the tent

 

Yes he was a hero

 

I think the weather conditions have to be just right for these things

 

Which reminds me, we should set a date for this year's BBQ at my place

 

Woo hoo

[Snowy]

And when a tent goes up in flames, it goes very very quickly! Scary!

 

Yay, another BBQ at Tasha's!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

We were at friends' for New Year with a great view of the fireworks over Edinburgh Castle but also of about 40 lanterns sailing past . I'd never seen them before but although they looked lovely (albeit a bit like an alien invasion ) I did wonder what the impact of them coming down would be .

[Lewis]

I did do my hippo impression to save the tent

 

I bought some of the eco bamboo ones online and whenever we've set them off you can see them fly up then eventually the fuel burns out and they come back to the ground.

I can understand the problems that could be caused with a flame and the lanterns, but the rice paper and bamboo will biodegrade ... its only the same as a stick and a few leaves being in a field 'cos the ricepaper disintegrates when it gets wet.

[SarahJo]

If I do ever get some - I will go with the eco-lanterns, as I did examine the fallen ones and they looked like they might take a while to dissapear

[foreveryoung]

Im not a fan of them, they are dangerous to animals and are just litter... my friends dad almost lost his sight when some of the paraffin dripped narrowly missing his eye. they go along with my thoughts on fireworks!! far to dangerouse to be in public use - no matter how careful you are with them

[Egluntyne]

I'm inclined to agree.

[Lesley]

Fluffyfeet nearly lost her tent at Tashas last year when some were let off at the campsite

 

I've never seen lwescott move so fast as he chased after it in full hero mode to save the tent

 

Yes he was a hero

 

I think the weather conditions have to be just right for these things

 

Which reminds me, we should set a date for this year's BBQ at my place

 

No, Lewis wasn't a hero - he was a very naughty boy after I'd told him they were dangerous - and he laughed at me

 

The Eco ones still have the capability of setting fire to dry grassland and hay and straw bales so much as I'd love to have some I won't buy any

[Space Chick]

 

No, Lewis wasn't a hero - he was a very naughty boy

please tell me that I'm not the only one who read that line, and heard Lesley in a "Life of Brian" style voice

[Lesley]

It was

[PurpleTree]

We found one in our front garden yesterday, looked quite substantial with metal wires. It's now in my bin. I read a news report a while back about a little girl who was badly burnt on the face after the burning part fell out as it was floating away.

[WarrensWorld]

Just showing my age here, but weren't Chinese lanterns the lights that hung in Chinese restaurants. You know the ones hexagonal fretwork wooden frames usually black lacquered with a low wattage light bulb inside?....

[PurpleTree]

They were. Here's an article about them from the BBC [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11265560/

 

Sorry link hasn't linked properly, I'm on my iPhone & it's fiddly to do

[Lesley]

Just showing my age here, but weren't Chinese lanterns the lights that hung in Chinese restaurants. You know the ones hexagonal fretwork wooden frames usually black lacquered with a low wattage light bulb inside?....

 

No, they're the orange, papery, seed cases of a garden flower

[soapdragon]

We were given two of these for Christmas (not quite the oddest presents as I also had a large bag of parsnips fresh from the garden tho sadly not ours - delicious!!)

 

We live in the country and have heard from numerous farmer freinds that these are a real pain. We put ours in the recycling bin - just not worth the risk.

 

Kiev

Korma

Casserole

[The Dogmother]

 

No, Lewis wasn't a hero - he was a very naughty boy

please tell me that I'm not the only one who read that line, and heard Lesley in a "Life of Brian" style voice

 

Me too!

 

An acquaintance has a lurcher called Brian... because he's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!

[SarahJo]

Decided against these for my birthday - but see they are on the news just before Chinese New Year, this week. Problems due to ones being let off near to airports - if its not volcanic ash, its Chinese Lanterns

[Old Speckled Hen]

I have fifty of these......... non eco ones too