Helium is the second-most abundant element in the universe (after hydrogen), but a combination of factors has led to the shortage. Believe it or not, last year's warmer-than-usual winter is a contributor; natural gas production and prices were down so the helium by-product was reduced as well. Demand for helium is growing and global production cannot keep up; thus the shortage. And the government is involved as well; nearly all of the world's helium supply is found within a 250-mile radius of Amarillo, Texas and the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve there controls much of the supply.
So who is at the end of the production food chain: the casual balloon consumer. Soon the days of bouquets of balloons from the party store will be gone; either helium won't be available for that use at all or it will be priced beyond what someone will pay. Forget about balloon arches at prom, release of hundreds of balloons at football games or use of the latex decorations for countless events. It is doubtful that the next generation will be able to conceive how frivolously helium was used as it is now.
I mourn the pending loss of plentiful helium balloons. It only takes one to cheer up a person or add sunshine to a room. And I wonder what whole new industry will replace it. Will there be gizmos to easily allow balloons to float down from the ceiling? Will clowns instead hand out stickers, candy or removable tattoos? Will Macy's again fill their floats with air and suspend them from trucks (as they did in 1958 during another shortage)? Will party stores go out of business without the lucrative sideline of balloon bundles?
Whether you're six or 60, the next time you see a helium balloon, pause and soak it in. It is one more aspect of today that may not exist in the future.
-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com
*www.wired.com/archive/8.08/helium.html
Also: www.nytimes.com/2012/12/20 and www.popularmechanics.com 6/25/12
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