The residents of this city take great pleasure in setting off as many cubic tons of fireworks as they can during the lead-up, day of, and exit from the Fourth of July. Nature is cooperating--without intending to--with those of us who would rather leave the explosions to the professionals by laying down a lovely, gentle rain. A nice summer soaker. While there is still a bit of small arms fire going on, it's mellowed by the sound of falling water.
Care to discuss the effect of fireworks on the environment? Try this article from Mother Nature Network (MNN) (and be sure to read the comments, some folk seriously don't like change), another piece from the rather hardcore Chemical and Engineering News, and you might want to see what the Journal of Pyrotechnics Archive has to offer. See what you think.
"Today's the 4th of July Another June has gone by & when they light up our town I just think What a waste of gunpowder & sky" Aimee Mann
Thanks for the links, I'll go and read them.
Here in Edinburgh there is evidence that the festival and Hogmanay (New Year) fireworks are weakening the structure of city centre buildings and one woman was killed by falling masonry that had been weakened by the fireworks, but still every summer we have three weeks of fireworks, and every Hogmanay we have a whole night of them, slightly fewer than in years gone by but not noticeably.
Posted by: Crafty Green poet | July 06, 2010 at 02:12 PM
And some places in the States have cancelled their displays. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. The day fairly insists on community, and the big to-do brings the place together. Still, there may well be a better way to do that.
Posted by: James | July 07, 2010 at 07:21 AM