Lara O'Brien

The first time I stepped into the Chilmark Writing Workshop, I was mid-panic attack. The pine studio with stained-glass windows reminded me of a church, and a ceramic girdle on the wall made me think of a harlot. My hands were shaking lightly, tremor-like, around my coffee cup, and my heart was beating off-kilter and too fast. I wanted to run out the door. I had no idea why I was sitting on the floor in a chair with no legs. It was my husband’s idea I should attend.

Balloons often are seen as fun, harmless decorations. But they become deadly litter as soon as they are released into the air and forgotten. Plastic pollution is one of today’s biggest environmental challenges. Microplastics have been found in our drinking water, food and even the air we breathe. Many people are trying to reduce their use of single-use plastic bags, bottles, utensils and straws, but balloons often are overlooked.

Balloons are often seen as fun, harmless decorations. But they become deadly litter as soon as they are released into the air and forgotten. Plastic pollution is one of today’s biggest environmental challenges. Microplastics have been found in our drinking water, food and even the air we breathe. While many people are trying to reduce their use of single-use plastic bags, bottles, utensils and straws, balloons are often overlooked.