I was delighted to read that Northampton is cancelling its Fourth of July fireworks display.
Are fireworks worth the cost? I’ve never understood the entertainment value of sudden very loud noises.
The harms caused by fireworks are no longer speculative or marginal. It is well documented that they create drastic spikes in air pollution, releasing fine particulate matter and heavy metals such as barium, strontium and toxic gases. Air quality can be affected for hours or even days. Environmental clean up is costly.
For people with PTSD, including many veterans, the experience is not fun but can be terrifying. Also for pets and wild animals. Explosions also can make birds abandon their nests, or collide with buildings as they flee.
When I worked for Free the Slaves in Washington, I learned that child labor was often involved in the production of fireworks, the large majority of which come from China. Child slavery in fireworks manufacturing is documented in India as well.
Celebration matters. Community matters. But tradition alone is not sufficient justification for continuing practices that cause predictable harm. Better alternatives exist.
Judith Hyde
Northampton