Sent this to some people.

I found a group online that are having a weekend do. In their "stuff to bring" list, they have "biodegradable items such as, flowers, seeds, ribbons and crystals".

So I sent them this,
Dear all at ...............,

I found your site and read with interest about your retreat this year. It sounds like a lovely weekend, which I would love to attend. However, I have some concerns about your list of things to bring with you to the retreat. You list biodegradable items such as flowers, seeds, ribbons and crystals. What would be done with these items? I am sure that you are aware that leaving items as "offerings" is something to be frowned upon if not done appropriately. All of the above items if placed in the countryside without consideration to where they are being put are at best unsightly for others and at worst a menace to the local flora and fauna. Certainly seeds and flowers would hopefully be eaten by the local wildlife, but ribbons and crystals? If the ribbons are completely natural they will degrade eventually, but not quickly. As for crystals, they won't biodegrade at all, and are considered by some to have very negative effects on the local "unseen and unknown".

I hope you can appreciate where I am coming from with my concerns. While I am sure that you would act properly with such items, it isn't unknown for sacred sites to be clogged with debris from ritual work.

Thank you.

Regards

I will be interested to see what their response is...