This week has been a week when the future of humanity, wildlife and our planet has been discussed in relation to climate change – at the COP26 conference. Much has been said about the need to live together with our planet, not against it. In harmony with nature, not inconsiderate of it. And next Mon, 8th November 2021 – following yet another petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures by the public asking to amend the legislation around fireworks – the topic will be debated in parliament. But will government listen, or will they try for a 5th debate on the topic and after 6 petitions, each with over 100,000 signatures, to ignore the will of the people?

For those that won’t read the rest, the summary:

Fireworks release chemicals into the atmosphere. These fall into rivers, onto trees and the sounds scare and sometimes kill wildlife. We are talking about the future of our planet and we are still obsessed with ‘having a bit of fun’ at nature’s expense? Not only is the environment and wildlife impacted, but pets, people with PTSD, dementia, hyperacusis and plenty more people, including those who are fed up of hearing bangs from nowhere in the middle of a quiet night. They are also dangerous and can be used as weapons. They are outdated and their use should be restricted, as they are in many other countries. Write to your MP to make change happen. For those that will read the rest, read on.

We have written many blogs on the impacts to so many different aspects of our world – to the environment, to wildlife, to pets, to humans. Fireworks are outdated and a nuisance. And it’s time to limit the use of them. In our blog on the environmental impact of fireworks, we commented, “An article in BBC Science Focus says, “Though beautiful, fireworks pollute the atmosphere so may not be the most green choice of entertainment.” The article states, “Fireworks propel a cocktail of chemicals into the atmosphere, many of which can harm both people and the environment. The vivid colours in firework displays come from metallic compounds such as barium or aluminium that can have negative impacts on animal and human health.” So they impact not only the environment, but also wildlife and us. Isn’t it time to simply stop them or at least severely restrict them? There are plenty of other ways to enjoy oneself and in the UK particularly, it has become the norm that for any little celebration, people let these toxic chemicals off into the atmosphere – disturbing the local environment and its inhabitants – and to scare many with the noise. Countries like the Netherlands and Germany allow them on only one or two days of the year. Yet in the UK we allow them every day of the year. That’s not awfully globally considerate when tackling climate change. We should restrict the number of days allowed, along with who can access them.

We have also talked about the impact to wildlife in a blog, “Birds Die, Horses Panic, Wildlife Suffers. Humans Setting off Fireworks Terrify and Kill”. You can read the details and the background to the points, but in summary, “Thousands of birds have died from heart attacks or through panic and flying into things, when fireworks go off. Horses have bolted, some impaled. Hedgehogs been tied to fireworks and shot into the air. We are in a climate emergency where we have already lost 60% of the UK’s wildlife population. It’s not only humans on this planet.” You can take action – write to your MP and town councillors, tell people not to use them, sign every petition.

There is plenty of detail on the impact of fireworks to all these groups in our blogs. Fireworks are a nuisance and outdated. They are toxic and chemical based and do not act in harmony with our planet. They are harmful to wildlife, who we need to protect. They can scare and even kill pets, much to the distress of their owners and affecting their lives as they often need to stay in to support their pets. Furthermore, they wake and scare humans – particularly those with PTSD, dementia, hyperacusis, anxiety and more. We have heard from many veterans with PTSD, who may tremble, hide under a table and go into cold sweats, because the firework sounds and colours trigger their trauma and take them back to a terrible place. We honour them on the 11th November, just 6 days after fireworks night – when we thank them by bombarding with noises that make them suffer. What kind of society thinks that is OK? That the ‘fun’ of a few is acceptable while so many suffer – be that humans, animals or the planet?

If you agree, now is the time to take action. You need to write to your MP and tell them. Ask them to attend the fireworks debate on Mon 8th November 2021. Tell them your views and ask them, regardless of their own personal views, to reflect those. And to find a way to change the regulations around fireworks. Enough is enough. We need to live together with our planet, to save it – not constantly bombarding it with pointless chemicals and noise. It’s easy at http://www.writetothem.com Just enter your postcode, select your MP and write. We need as many people as possible to do this.

And please share this blog and ask others to do the same. We need your momentum as this may be the last chance for change.

OK humans. Want to be responsible for this planet? What can you do? 

• Share this blog in every group you are in on social media and in emails – particularly those not related to fireworks, to reach new audiences
• Sign and share petitions
• There have been 5 debates, 6 petitions with over 100,000 signatures each, a Petitions Committee inquiry and the government needs to listen. Now is the time to write to your MP and ask them to push the government to take drastic action. Reduce the number of days to just a handful a year and ban the sale to the public.
• Write to your councils asking them to change what they allow. As you can see in Bideford, they can do this. Push. You can use the RSPCA template to ask them to change which are allowed
• Ask your friends and neighbours not to let them off or if they insist, to at least use those with lower bang ratings – which are available among most fireworks sellers and those that do displays 
• Read more blogs on the impacts of fireworks and share these too: Environmental impact, impact on war veterans and sufferers of PTSD and on assistance dogs, why fireworks are a nuisance and the law should change.