Green Fireworks For The 4th?

So now that we've told you all about the fireworks happening tomorrow night, we've got some bad news, and it's not about the impending weather, either. With all these red, white and blue bursts...we wondered if there's any room for green in the celebration?

Fireworks aren't traditionally environmentally friendly, and they "heavily contribute to perchlorate contamination of surrounding water bodies." Some parts of the country have adapted by using cardboard and paper mache, instead of plastic, to cover their fireworks. Josh Whiteis of J&M Displays says, "If (plastic) gets in the water, it sinks to the bottom. That can hurt fish, that can hurt people for that matter. If there's plastic in the park we don't want to hurt people walking around in bare feet. And so if the cardboard gets into the water, it disintegrates and it's gone." Macy's are loaded in steel and fiberglass mortars.

Not to be a downer, but Treehugger reports on even more problems, saying "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."

So, why not sign the Live Earth Pledge to make yourself feel a bit better when you're enjoying those fireworks tomorrow. Live Earth will be taking place this Saturday and anyone who enters their name on the pledge will see it on screen or online during the concert.

Photo via Linus Gelber's Flickr.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on July 3, 2007 12:04 PM

Comments [rss]

Aristocrat

I gather that #14 doesn't get invited over alot. You must be a real gas at parties.

guest

The idea that it's a matter of "picking your battles" or focusing on small or insignifigant things is rediculous. The larger point here is that this is just one of MANY so called "little things" that add up over the course of the year and become big things. If you add up every birthday that results in some lost balloons, every firework both city funded and not, streamers and paper goods in various ethnic parades and the Chinese New Year, all the wrapping paper and plastic at Christmas (not to mentions Christmas trees), etc in NYC alone it's a HUGE environmental impact for such a small area. For a supposedly artistic and creative city like New York you would think we could find ways of celebrating that were a little more eco-friendly.

Toby von Meistersinger

Aren't the fireworks going to be in violation of the new noise guidelines that went in place this week?

guest

I laff and laff when a kid blows his fingers off, only to find it yards away in the field.

or, when a guy sticks his head over a mortar tube when he thinks it's a dud only to find out that the fuse is light and on it's way.

I LOVE those.

dickiegreenfield

Once again, liberals ruin all the fun. Thank you, "Blame America First" crowd.

Aristocrat

While #7 put it pretty brutishly, I think it's probably the reason why Rose recieved all that hatemail. It's a matter of picking your battles, and focusing on an issue what we everyday folk can help remedy. Talk about less use of plastic grocery bags, using energy efficient lightbulbs, things I can actually control. What am I going to do about a fireworks display? It's the equivalent of yelling at someone sitting in a plastic chair. "You're sitting in something that damages the environment!"

Being less preachy and speaking as if you're talking to the great unwashed usually helps make people listen to what you're actually saying.

TKaisen

People really won't be satisfied until they suck the fun out of everything, will they?

guest

no. 7 is why I laff every july fourth when I hear of a fireworks accident, especially those big one's.

The one's where a rack of mortars get's knocked down and aims right at the audience.

oh yeah, I dance my lord of the dance jig, too.

guest

Stop being a "Treehugging Asshole" ! It's the Four of July, Live a little people . All this complaining about small shit is becoming an annoyance ! It's not like we celebrate the birth of our country every week of so with fireworks . It's a once a year thing . What's next ? You all are going to complain about the water ! there are so many contaminants in the air today that scientist haven't discovered yet that could currently be playing a role in our demise on this planet and UR all worried about Fireworks !

Reality Czech

I'm having a green fourth as well. Smoking the green! Ya mon!

Rose Fox

Thanks for continuing to raise awareness about this issue. When I wrote that "Prettiest Pollutants" article for Treehugger last year, I got a stunning amount of hate mail. I hope you can change a few minds without being deluged by comments from people who think fireworks are just lights in the sky that come and go with no effect on the environment.

Rocknrope

I plan on having a green July 4th. Instead of lighting fireworks, I plan on yelling "BANG!" into people's ears at random.

Spirit of 76

Plastic sinks? Every plastic I've ever seen floats.

Dave Hogarty

No, this was obviously an insidious plot by the Chinese, hatched more than 1200 years ago with the invention of gunpowder. What treachery awaits?!