Is It Worth It?

New Year’s Eve – the biggest celebration of the year. But not for everyone. Some people have experienced fire-related trauma. Some carry lifelong injuries from fireworks accidents. But at least humans know what’s happening. We can choose whether or not we want to participate.

In our house, we occasionally play fireworks sounds on the stereo to help our pets get used to the noise. But fireworks are more than sound. They bring flashes of light, smells, and maybe other things we humans don’t even notice. We worry about our pets, but we make plans to minimize their stress: On New Year’s Eve, they will stay in a windowless basement room. We’ll play music and distract them with treats.

Fireworks Can Cause Lasting Trauma

Anyone who has animals knows how strongly they react to fireworks. Research shows that fireworks can cause serious trauma to dogs. Many run away. Some suffer lifelong psychological damage. Horses—natural flight animals—bolt in fear and injure themselves on fences or other obstacles. When fireworks are set off at unexpected times, riders can also be injured.

It’s estimated that 79 percent of horses react with anxiety to fireworks, and 26 percent are injured because of (or due to fear of) fireworks.

But what about wildlife and birds? How does our celebration affect them?

According to the organization Coexisting with Wildlife, both wild and domestic animals experience fear, stress, and anxiety. Many flee in panic. That panic drives them into roads more frequently on these nights, leading to fatal accidents.

Birds Flee in Panic

Dutch researchers published a study in Behavioral Ecology (2011) on how fireworks affect birds. For three years, they used weather radar to monitor birds during New Year’s Eve. They found that thousands of birds took flight right after midnight, flying continuously for at least 45 minutes and reaching altitudes up to 500 meters. The researchers estimate that this affects several hundred thousand birds in the Netherlands every year.

There is no reason to believe birds in Norway respond any differently.

Other studies show that when birds flee in panic, many die – often by crashing into trees, fences, and buildings, breaking their necks or beaks because they can’t see where they’re flying. One of the most well-known cases of mass bird death linked to fireworks occurred in 2010, when 5,000 red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky in a small town in Arkansas. There were no signs of disease. Postmortem analysis confirmed the birds had died from acute physical trauma.

Permanent Hearing Damage

Animals often have far more sensitive hearing than humans. The explosions from fireworks can cause serious damage. For instance, we know that dogs can suffer irreversible hearing loss if they’re too close to a fired gun. Chemicals released by fireworks (particulate matter) can also negatively affect animals, the environment, and people with conditions like asthma.

Numerous studies confirm that fireworks harm public health through pollution and physical injuries. Eye injuries are particularly common in the days following New Year’s Eve.

Fire Risk

And then there’s the fire hazard—to homes, buildings, and forests.

As a child, I witnessed the historic mountain lodge Hjerkinn Fjellstue burn to the ground. I was attending horseback riding camp when the fire alarm woke us. Outside, we saw what looked like a small fire in the kitchen. We thought it would be fine. But within an hour, the entire building was engulfed. Everything was gone. Priceless history and personal belongings were wiped out in minutes.

Thankfully, everyone—people and most of the animals—made it out safely. But it left a lasting impression on me. I, who understand what’s happening around me, still find New Year’s Eve frightening.

Quiet Fireworks in Italy

I try to see both sides of an issue, but I struggle to see the upside of fireworks. The colors might be beautiful, but they last so briefly and cause so much harm.

Some say they do it “for the children.” Unfortunately, I’ve met several people with difficult childhoods. None of them ever cited the absence of fireworks as a trauma. Children can also be distressed by fireworks.

In Collechio, Italy, the town passed a law requiring that all fireworks must be silent. Only soft sounds and light effects are allowed. The goal is to protect sound-sensitive children, war veterans, the elderly, pets, and wild animals.

Can We Find a Kinder Alternative?

Perhaps there are other ways to celebrate. Most people just want to be together and welcome the new year – not necessarily blow things up. Maybe we can find a more meaningful tradition, one that creates lasting memories of a peaceful and joyful celebration. Something everyone can enjoy.

Or at the very least, not be terrified by.

And the money we burn – millions of kroner – could surely be put to better use.

Something beautiful..

Sources:

• Animal Ethics: How fireworks harm nonhuman animals
• Behavioral Ecology, 2011: Birds flee en masse from New Year’s Eve fireworks
• Coexisting With Wildlife: Loud Fireworks Affect Wildlife
• New York Times, 2011: For Arkansas Blackbirds, the New Year Never Came
• Forbes, 2017: How do fireworks harm wild birds?
• New York Times, 2016: Quiet fireworks promise relief for children and animals