I did say I would post in this experiment with the same content on my socials... well here we GO - this may pee some people off...
Courtesy of ChatGPT = Fireworks impact on the planet (the unsexy bits no one puts on Instagram):
• Air pollution
Fireworks release fine particulate matter (PM2.5), heavy metals, and toxic gases.
Air quality can spike dramatically for hours or days after major displays.
• Heavy metals in the air
Those pretty colours?
Barium, strontium, copper, aluminium.
They don’t vanish. They settle into soil, water, and lungs.
• Water contamination
Firework debris falls into rivers, lakes, oceans.
Residue leaches into water systems and affects aquatic life.
• Wildlife stress & harm
Animals don’t understand “celebration.”
Birds abandon nests. Pets panic. Wildlife gets disoriented, injured, or killed.
• Microplastic fallout
Casings, coatings, and fallout add to plastic pollution.
Tiny bits. Everywhere.
• Carbon footprint
Manufacturing, transporting, and detonating fireworks = emissions for vibes.
• Noise pollution
Disrupts ecosystems, migratory patterns, and animal behaviour long after the boom stops.
The uncomfortable truth bit:
Fireworks aren’t the biggest environmental problem.
But they’re one of the most unnecessary ones.