This article is about how everyone loves Lanterns, but not everyone loves the environmental impact of them. Read on to learn more!

What are biodegradable lanterns? Biodegradable lanterns are exactly what they sound like, lanterns that will decompose over time. i.e. They are environmentally friendly and can be thrown out without harming the environment or animals in your area (They may still be banned by the city).

There are a couple of different types of lanterns made from paper. The most common type is a poster size sheet that has been printed with various designs and then cut into pieces, folded into triangles and glued or taped together to form a shell. These can be very elaborate and lovely works of art but if the outside is not sealed, rain could leak through to the burning fuel inside making them dangerous.

How to make biodegradable lanterns?

You can use any material you want; I’ve seen paper mache, I’ve seen tissue paper, I’ve seen white card stock, I’ve used action figures. I once saw one made out of broken glass (not recommended). Honestly it depends on what you feel like using. i used white card stock in my example because it was easy to draw on (and i will be adding that later)

Draw your design on the front of your lantern ( i recommend drawing it on paper first then tracing it onto the lantern i tried drawing directly on the lantern and i don’t recommend it). Most importantly I recommend adjusting your design for size; I made mine too big so I had to cut down one side of my lantern to fit it all in, but if I had measured better I would have only had to draw it once.

How long do biodegradable lanterns take to decompose?

I’m not exactly sure about this one, because I didn’t actually measure how long I left them out. I would guess between 1 month to 2 months but i don’t actually know for sure.

Are lanterns biodegradable?

Yes i think most things are actually, if they’re made of paper or any other material i can’t think of why it wouldn’t be i didn’t research this so i’m not sure whether you need some kind of additive to make the decomposition occur faster but i had no problems with mine.

Are sky lanterns biodegradable?

Yes Biodegradable Lanterns are physically biodegradable. The actual act of decomposing is not necessarily harmful to the environment. However the metal used in the frame may still sit on the ground for an extended period of time i.e. Lanterns i’ve seen in my area were either banned or i haven’t seen anyone use them (i’m sure they still exist elsewhere) i would recommend using something like paper to make the lanterns i based mine off of chinese sky lanterns i don’t know why that is, but i think it’s because people are more likely to check the trash

Are biodegradable sky lanterns safe?

Yes, Biodegradable Sky Lanterns are safe. I have never heard of any reports saying otherwise. However since they are lit on fire caution should be taken i wouldn’t recommend letting animals or children play with them i once saw a cat chase one down and pounce on it causing it to break, so if i was designing them i would probably use a starch mixture as opposed to tissue paper i think the weight of it being wet would be enough to break it mid flight.

Are Chinese lanterns biodegradable?

Yes I have never heard otherwise.

Are water lanterns biodegradable?

I don’t know, i’ve never seen a water lantern before

Are floating lanterns biodegradable?

I’m going to go with yes, because i have seen photos floating around of Lanterns that have fallen into the ocean and onto beaches and they have been torn apart by animals already i don’t know if this is normal or not but i’ve only ever seen pictures from people who released them in oceans/lakes/ponds so i don’t know i’m going to go with yes because i don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be?

Are lanterns bad for the environment?

No, Lanterns are not bad for the environment. I was careful to make my design so I didn’t use anything that may harm animals or plants. I recommend using tissue paper and starch mixture if you want them to decompose quickly, but I used cardstock so mine decomposed at a normal rate.

Are floating lanterns biodegradable?

I’m going to go with yes, because i have seen photos floating around of Lanterns that have fallen into the ocean and onto beaches and they have been torn apart by animals already i don’t know if this is normal or not but i’ve only ever seen pictures from people who released them in oceans/lakes/ponds so i don’t know i’m going to go with yes because i don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be

My conclusion is that Lanterns are not bad for the environment. I used biodegradable materials to make my lanterns. I also chose a design that is not harmful to animals or plants. I’m glad I found out how easy it is to make them safely.

I wrote this article because i saw my friends making paper lanterns and i wanted to know if they were safe i am very happy with the research i’ve done on them, I hope you all found it informative too! 😀

Thank you for reading, vote as much as you like! 🙂 P.S If anyone wants me to do an article about something just give me a message and i’ll see what i can do! Thanks again Bye