It's Canada Day. Let's Lose the Fireworks!
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.30.07
July 1 is Canada's 140th birthday, and every town is getting the fireworks ready; where we are they will shoot them out over the lake. People sometimes say that TreeHuggers don't want anyone to have any fun, but perhaps its time to put this tradition to bed. Besides the stream of burned and injured kids and the usual fires,Rose noted last year:
Unfortunately for those of us who love the pretty lights in the sky, fireworks are often propelled by gunpowder, and the accelerants and heavy metals used for coloration can leave traces in the air and water for days or even weeks after the party is over. The effects are worsened by muggy summer weather and its accompanying poor air quality.Jeremy noted recently:
fireworks heavily contribute to perchlorate contamination of surrounding water bodies. Perchlorate is well-known to pose risks for both human health and wildlife.It is all very pretty, but is it a celebration of the birth of a country or is it an excuse to blow things up?
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In terms of impact i doubt this is as significant as perhaps a thousand other measures which would be more popular. I think you really would have to be mad to persue this as a campaign. 'Greens' are always accused of wanting to go back to the dark ages, or to hate easy solutions...this plays right into that. Honestly, i think it is an awful idea, there would have to be very strong reasons against fireworks to gain my support.
Less harmful alternative may be worth looking into, but i would really like some evidence that there is a harm caused.
Yep, I'd agree with, "People sometimes say that TreeHuggers don't want anyone to have any fun." Especially because of that unnecessary, "...is it a celebration of the birth of a country or is it an excuse to blow things up?" What does that mean, and what does it have to do pollution? OMFG, blowing up stuff is BAAAD. Fireworks are blowing stuff up. Fireworks are BAAAD. Is your argument about possible pollution that weak?
I think you guys really are becoming puritanical.
I prefer to call them climevangelists.
If you look hard enough, EVERYTHING can be found to be BAAADD for you, or your friend, or anything at all.
Lighten up, killjoys - it's just once a year.....
i really gotta find a new blog ...
As long as the it is limited to a fireworks display once a year or so, I see no intrinsic harm worth killing a great joy for. But there is great harm in screwing with civil lliberties and the right to prsue happiness. For fun, See 'Oh Edo Rocket' http://tinyurl.com/2e9n8z
OTOH, Where I live though there are dry hills, and while the local 4th O'July fireworks display was safely over a lake, there was a significan fire hazard from all the cars parked on the hillside roads, and consequent cigarette butts.
For safer fun, try my "Donut-aholic" video at
http://one.revver.com/watch/293939/flv
Happy Canada Day !
Lloyd, baaaaaad post. This is exactly the kind of thing that hurts environmentalists. Blowing up some fireworks once a year is not a big deal. The bad PR effect of advocating the end of fireworks celebrations vastly outweighs any benefit it might have. Get this post off the site quick!
NukWuk the Nunavutian
PS - not to be utterly US centric, but you would do better to at least reference the 4th of July or 90% of your readers will get rather confused.
Not to be a troll, but Guy Faulks Day in England does seem to be simply an excuse to blow stuff up. Though it is just one fun day... :)