I’ve been encouraging people to reduce waste and minimize their greenhouse gas emissions for more than 25 years now, and some questions still make me wince:
“Are Fireworks Bad for the Environment?”
Of course fireworks are not good for the environment—any activity that, at its core, is all about lighting things on fire and explosions will have some kind of negative environmental impact.
In the case of fireworks, a NOAA study indicates that fireworks cause a spike in local air pollution. If you’re a fan of fireworks this won’t be a surprise. The smoke you see in the air after the dazzling lights is a combination of small leftover chemicals and metals. These airborne particulates are especially concerning for folks with asthma or other breathing conditions and, of course, complicate air quality more in regions where air pollution is already an issue.
Relative to climate change, the findings are a little less concerning. The best estimate I could find suggesting that fireworks are bad for the environment is that Fourth of July celebrations will contribute 0.01% to greenhouse gas emissions for that day. Of course every 0.01% counts, and fireworks are certainly a luxury item compared to, for example, heating homes or providing power to schools.
Enjoying Fireworks in an Environmentally Responsibly Way
So why does this question the question about fireworks being bad for the environment make me wince? I grew up in North Dakota where, for a short week every summer, all matter of pyrotechnics were legal. I have fond memories of blowing up (quite literally) months of baby-sitting revenue. I understand the appeal of fireworks. When the Fourth of July approaches I want to be dazzled, I don’t want to squash the fun with a long lecture.
For me this is about balance. Sydney, Australia does a good job on the fireworks issue. They host fireworks on New Year’s Eve, but make their effort carbon neutral by encouraging folks to bike or use public transit instead of driving. They also promote purchasing renewable power and aim to minimize trash generated at their events. The folks in Sydney also use newer-generation, greener fireworks that generate fewer metal and chemical-based particulates. Essentially, they live their environmental values, while also celebrating the occasion in a way that appeals to their constituents.
Ideally, every community would approach all events in this way by looking at how they can minimize their environmental impacts, while also amplifying the community joy. After all, we want to make sustainable practices the new normal—which means engaging regular people, including the folks who love fireworks.
Finding Tradeoffs to Minimize Fireworks’ Environmental Impacts
If you plan to celebrate with fireworks then I encourage you to think about how you can reduce your impact in other ways on the Fourth of July this year. I’ll be attending the event here in Madison, WI, for example, and we’ll commute there by bicycle. We will also carry out everything we bring in to the event, and will probably picking up trash others leave behind as well on the way out. I may even aim to be vegetarian that day, to further balance my once-a-year fireworks indulgence.
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