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Tuesday, December 5, 2017
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FIRECRACKERS are dangerous as hell. Picture these: horrific burns, serious infections, ghastly wounds, amputated fingers, damaged eyes and fires, poisoning due to the ingestion of ‘crackers such as watusi.
It is good that this early, the Department of Health in Western Visayas has, well, started making noise on the use of alternative noisemakers to celebrate the holidays. The harmful, toxic – and fatal – tradition of setting off firecrackers to usher New Year has to stop. Yes, Ilonggos can enjoy the holidays without suffering from physical injuries, accidental fires and health-damaging smoke emissions.
Come to think of it, using firecrackers is not practical at all. It is expensive. Consider, too, their adverse impacts to human health and the environment. Money spent for firecrackers are better spent for holiday food and other household needs.
Setting off firecrackers releases toxic fumes filled with assorted environmental toxicants and obnoxious particles that irritate the respiratory system, especially among young children, the elderly and chronic asthma sufferers. Yes, during the holidays there’s an increase in atmospheric pollutants such as particulate matters.
So, what alternative noisemakers can we use? Aside from the popular torotot, make recycled maracas using empty pineapple juice cans, recycled tambourine from flattened softdrink crowns, improvised cymbals using pot lids, or shakers from used plastic bottles with pebbles. The more down-to-earth can have fun creating sounds from common kitchen utensils such as pots.
Yes, the general public can certainly celebrate the holidays in a safe and eco-friendly way. Now is the time to break the senseless tradition of celebrating with bloody mayhem, ear-splitting noise, fires, littered streets, smoggy skies, and soot-blackened noses. Firecrackers are dangerous, deadly and dirty. They are a total waste of money for a few minutes of toxic revelry.
Don’t burn away your money, buy food or better yet give it to charity.
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