Fireworks

I was at the local fireworks display a few weeks ago and I couldn't help but going in to my trail of thoughts. They are incredible to watch, something beautiful about them. The colours, the shape. But then I began thinking is this down to the social environmental I am in, where the people around me enjoy going to see them, so there for it causes me to believe that I must like them too? But when I start to look deeper as to what it is I like about that I seem to fall short. The only reasons I have is, they are very pretty, and causes us to look up at the sky. Which the sky is a tremendous site without the fireworks, we all ready have the universe to gaze at which is more beautiful than the fireworks.
I feel that because we are able to look up at the sky to see the stars and planets when ever we want a lot of people, including me, take this for advantage as I know it's just outside my front door. Where as fireworks are less frequent, once or twice a year perhaps I seem to really enjoy it. Of course they are very different, the obvious one being fireworks are man made and the universe is a natural wonder. Something we have very little/no control over.

My other thoughts went on to how these events effect the nature around us, the loud noises make me jump let alone animals that live near by. For me I understand that it's a firework and isn't going to cause me harm where as a lot of animals won't have this understanding and will end up being in fear and hiding away. This is something I wanna know more about as why should our enjoyment potentially risk the wildlife around us? There are many advice campaigns as to how to look after your pets when there are fireworks such as with small animals bring them inside the house and try to block out sound. With dogs and cats keep them inside allow them to somewhere to hide. With horses and ponies, ensure fireworks aren't being planned to go off near by. But what about with wild animals? The birds, badgers, deer etc. Looking glass have a campaign to ban public sale of fireworks, on their website they state "As fireworks get noisier, sound levels are reaching decibels that can not only damage human hearing but also frighten animals and birds literally to death. If the noise doesn't kill them then birds and mammals in your local neighbourhood can easily become disorientated and suffer in other ways." On there website it includes an image of a badger that had got scared and had run in to a pond as well as other voters comments/stories.

http://www.looking-glass.co.uk/campaigns/banthebang.htm

My other thoughts went out to those working in terrible conditions in abroad factories such as China and India where they are working with harmful and potentially deadly substances along with risks of fires. In most cases they will be working long days for poor pay. There are many articles written on fires and explosions that have happened within these factories, here is one this year where at least 31 people were killed, as stated by Telegraph India, 40+ stated on The Guardian. The Om Shakti Firework company they worked for wasn't following correct procedures and had had its licence suspended. But within The Telegraph India's article it also stated "According to regulations, the sheds in a fireworks factory must have cement walls and asbestos roofs and be located at least five metres from each other." So along with the risks of explosions and fire this work can also lead to health problems in the future, such as cancer, if the asbestos roofs with in the factories become old and damaged. 

Is it worth it? Is it worth the risk to the environment, animals, and people?

Aren't we able to look at alternative ways to celebrate. Fireworks aren't a necessity  they are luxury, maybe its time to place legislation in place that they only happen on certain organised occasions?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/06/india-fireworks-factory-fire

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120906/jsp/nation/story_15944146.jsp#.ULPKIKVa8uo