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Americans celebrating Independence Day, the 4th of July, traditionally concludes with the noisy, colourful spectacle of a professional fireworks show.

But lately, fireworks shows are slowly being phased out and replaced with swarms of synchronised drones that create animated images against the night sky.

While drone shows may be visually appealing, many argue that we should focus on and appreciate the smaller technological advancements, contending that fireworks are detrimental to people, animals, and the environment.

Bill Bateman, an associate professor at Curtin University’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences in Australia, said that when he and his team started looking into this, “the thing that surprised me most was the extent of the disturbance”.

Per National Geographic, Bateman and his colleagues recently published a study in Pacific Conservation Biology that underscores what they call the “highly damaging” impacts of fireworks – spectacles that scare birds from roosting places and nesting sites, disturb and distress other animals with their sudden light and noise, affecting animal breeding, and even children’s emotional and behavioural faculties.

Bateman and his colleagues write that the sounds and flashes of light associated with the blasts trigger the startle response in animals, causing distress and even death to animals. Young cranes, for instance, have been documented leaping from their nest in response to loud noises even though they cannot fly.

Humans are similarly affected, and mental health conditions and post-traumatic stress can play a role in how easily startled someone is.

The unexpected and unpredictable nature of fireworks, along with their ability to elicit flashbacks and memories in people who have survived combat situations, can trigger an ongoing feeling of danger and hypervigilance that lasts far beyond the holiday.

There’s also the issue of misuse and the unpredictable nature of fireworks that cause injury or death. The US recorded 9,700 visits to the emergency room and eight deaths due to amateur use of such fiery gimmicks.

The little sparks have also been known to cause raging wildfires, and with persistent drought affecting the US and beyond, combined with more frequent and widespread wildfires, adding this extra spark into the works just sounds like a dumb idea.

Fireworks caused 19,500 fires and $105 million in property damage in the US in 2018 alone, according to the National Fire Protection Association, while 13 people were also arrested this month in Greece after a superyacht allegedly launched a fireworks show that triggered a 300-acre forest fire.

“I like fireworks, but I really feel they are not sustainable any longer,” says Bateman.

So are drones the answer?

 

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Research on drones’ environmental and wildlife impacts is still being looked into. But for now, at least, the drone shows seem to be overwhelmingly less polluting and destructive.

[source:natgeo]