Come together & truly make a difference to create positive change regarding the problem of noise fireworks in Sarnia and the County of Lambton as a whole.

THE ISSUE:
Studies point to the clear harm and damage as a result of noise fireworks in many different manifestations:

(1) Physical damage to the hearing organs of animals
(2) Fear and stress for many groups of residents
(3) Harmful effects by chemical particles
(4) Abandonment of habitat and inhibited growth
(5) Fire risk and damage to personal property and protected areas.

Fireworks are not allowed in provincial parks because of the fire risk, but fireworks are being set off on private property regardless of fire risk or wind conditions. According to figures provided by the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal, fireworks were blamed for 129 fires and almost $2.5 million in damage in Ontario between 2009 and 2013.

They normally contain perchlorates which are used in rocket fuel, explosives, road flares and air bag inflation systems. They also contain metals to produce a variety of colours. These chemicals and metals are making their way into our water since most fireworks are set off in close proximity to lakes.

Veterans or victims of gun violence can be triggered into a PTSD and autistic children episode suffer from overwhelm by the huge noises and the unpredictable sounds of fireworks displays.

Animal shelters report increases in stray animals and injuries and trauma to animals after fireworks displays.

Also, the noise of fireworks & firecrackers can cause birds tachycardia and even death by fright. The high degree of stress birds experience is indicated by the fact that birds may temporarily or permanently abandon places where they nest and also panic simultaneously resulting in huge numbers of deaths - an infamous example of massive bird deaths after a fireworks display were the 5,000+ dead or dying red-winged blackbirds in the small Arkansas town of Beebe in 2010. 

Dogs are able to hear up to 60,000hz, while humans have one third of that auditory capacity at 20,000hz. This is one of the reasons the sound of fireworks can be so harmful to dogs, creating overwhelming anxiety as they are unable to escape from the sound.

Horses act similarly to dogs and cats, showing signs of stress and fear, and trying to flee or escape. It's estimated that 79% of horses experience anxiety because of firecrackers, and 26% suffer injuries from them. Sometimes they react to fireworks by trying to jump fences and flee to dangerous areas where they can be run over by cars.

Some might think that administering a soothing drug to domestic & farm animals who are forcibly confined could be the solution, but the use of drugs causes harmful side effects and many of the majority of wild animals affected cannot be reached regardless.

SOLUTION:
The solution is two-fold for our area:

(1) Introduce silent fireworks and/or non-harming alternatives while at the same time banning noise fireworks & noise firecrackers of any type.

(2) Limit use of fireworks to permitted organized groups and to designated areas thereby reducing the risk of random and potentially dangerous explosions of fireworks by an overwhelming number of individuals in residential areas where more domestic animals are present and where wildlife takes refuge throughout the City & County. 

There are innovative solutions & growing acceptance of alternatives to fireworks, such as laser light shows and silent fireworks.

One notable case is in the city of Collechio (Italy), one of the first to program silent fireworks, with the message that it is possible to enjoy fireworks without causing panic among the nonhuman inhabitants of the municipality. Also, several North American cities are making the switch including Banff, Alberta which opted out of its conventional fireworks display for a "quiet fireworks" and light show for their Canada Day celebrations.

Silent fireworks are not only gaining in popularity and availability, they are also made of vegetable oils, so they are non toxic. Using these fireworks saves our environment, our pets, wildlife and water quality. 

They can also deliver the same cascading colors but without the daunting decibels and startling explosions and they are ideal for smaller groups.

These types of alternatives have been around for a long time as part of regular fireworks displays, including the "comet display" that shoots into the air with a long sparking tail, or the "flying fish" whose scattering sparkles swim out from a silent boom like little tadpoles. They actually display the most stunning colors, more so than big explosions.

The most explosive fireworks, the ones with the biggest booms, have little color because the force can shatter the pellets that carry the little "stars" that emit signature colors of green, red, and blue. Despite the name some of these more colorful fireworks aren't entirely silent, but they are significantly quieter, registering at far below the typical 150-170 decibels of the loud fireworks, which can cause hearing damage. 

Let's take Sarnia & Lambton County into a greater future together.

REFERENCES:
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4748406
https://www.animal-ethics.org/how-fireworks-harm-nonhuman-animals/
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/science/july-4-fireworks-quiet.html
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929122/fireworks-evidence-submission-rspca.pdf
https://www.thelandbetween.ca/fireworks/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2017/12/30/how-do-fireworks-harm-wild-birds/
https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/504964-its-time-for-silent-fireworks
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/quiet-fireworks-less-bang-can-be-more-colorful/