It’s 花火大会 (fireworks festival) time in Japan right now. I just missed another one, rats (Yes, I am in Tokyo as I write this, I’m so easy to follow aren’t I?).
But let me scare you about fireworks because it’s interesting, and it’s funny 
We probably burn thousands of tons of gunpowder to sit and marvel at the pretty lights. Fireworks litter the ground, pollute water supplies, and are harmful to every living creature’s health. And that’s for one event
In addition to gunpowder, fireworks contains Barium, copper, cadmium, lithium, antimony, rubidium, strontium, lead and potassium nitrate. All these cause respiratory and other health problems, and copper is linked to cancer. Ah, I guess I should say that In 2004, Disneyland in Anaheim, California, pioneered the commercial use of aerial fireworks launched with compressed air rather than gunpowder. But they still explode all the bad stuff.
The average fireworks festival has about 6000 fireworks. During the Fireworks Festival in Japan, there are thousands of fireworks festival every day, not to mention each Disney park every day (everywhere in the world). Many countries have weeks or months where similar fireworks activities happen.
But let’s get down to actual stats. Statistics show that about 0.03% of the toxins on the planet each year come from fireworks.
Let’s compare that to cow emissions (this is great): The United Nations has declared the methane from cow emissions the “greatest threat to the climate, forests, and wildlife.” Livestock emissions are responsible for 18% of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming. That’s more than all forms of transportation put together.
Either way, I sincerely don’t care. I just love the Eco-hypocrisy of dividing my crap into 4 unique recycling cans, driving a hybrid car, and being told to not waste stuff; while you can flush 4000 toilets at once in Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas and still have hot water in every shower (apparently, they test this) –not to mention the pretty water show they have every 30 minutes which wastes a lot of water; yet the fountains actually use less water than irrigating a golf course. Wait, how much water is wasted on irrigating a Golf Course?! Ahhhh!!!!! Okay, okay, I’ll stop.
Fireworks are pretty, and we’ve been doing it since roughly 12th century China. 1000 years or so… I’m sure, no, I know it’s safe.
Image above taken from an attractive, intelligent person named Chris Conway who graciously gave me permission to use his image.
Some nonsensical links to uh, facts:
Fireworks will eat your first born
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