I just returned tonight from the July 1st  (Canada's birthday) fireworks display on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, contemplating what topic I could write about for the next Daily Tip.

I decided that the environmental effects of fireworks would be appropriate given that Canada Day and July 4th both occur this week.  After researching this topic I came to the conclusion that the CO2 emitted by fireworks is relatively insignificant in comparison to other contributers to climate change.

But I also discovered that there are significant concerns regarding pollutants resulting from fireworks, in particular a chemical called perchlorate, being found in ground and drinking water.  It is even being found in cow's milk. 

Perchlorate is known to affect the thyroid, inhibiting it's ability to absorb iodine.  Perchlorate is also believed to affect the development of the central nervous system in children.

One study found that the perchlorate level in a lake in Omaha rose by more than 1,000 times as a result of a fireworks display.  It took 80 days for the lake to return to normal [1].

Perchlorate is a commonly used ingredient in explosives.  There are also heavy-metal emissions that can be toxic.  I don't expect that fireworks displays will be banned in the near future but you may want to be wary of your drinking water after major fireworks celebrations.  Also, think twice about conducting a home fireworks display.  It is not only harmful to the environment and your family's health but often leads to serious accidents.

The second part to my EMAIL has to do with travel to and from the fireworks display.  In my case it took almost 1 1/2 hours of stop-and-go driving to clear the traffic jams.  Now this may not seem too significant for large cities in the United States (rush hour for example) but where I come from it is far from normal. 

Consider tens of thousands of cars all stuck in low fuel efficiency driving conditions.  And this is only in one Canadian city.  Multiply this by all the large cities in Canada and the United States and you can expect some fairly significant greenhouse gas emissions.

Usually at large events such as this the city offers bus service to and from the event.  Often for free.  By taking advantage of this service you will reduce your carbon footprint and also avoid some driving frustration.  Large events include not only fireworks displays but also sporting events, concerts, etc.

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