Diwali and Fireworks: A Plea for Our Wildlife and Pets

On auspicious days such as today we often find ourselves surrounded by various booms, explosions and blasts as our loved ones and those around us celebrate the occasion. Many of us are startled at these loud noises but we should also be mindful of the elderly, young ones and especially our pets. I say especially our pets because animals have heightened senses. Many of us know our beloved pets have great hearing, so please think about what they're being exposed to when these things happen outside.

The extreme flashes and blasts can be overwhelming and the sound is without a doubt traumatizing and when we think about the length of time they're exposed to these bombardments we must consider the torture we put these animals through. One such activity that often happens right outside our doors is the bursting of bamboo which subjects all of aforementioned to hours of torment so I have to call on all citizens to please be considerate of your actions and to please do so in a manner where you are attentive of your surroundings.

Fireworks are also potential fire hazards and have been responsible for the loss of homes, lives, forests and wildlife. I again urge everyone to please be careful and mindful of their actions and your surroundings. Please also take the time to clean up after yourselves. Year after year we see the streets littered with plastic and shards of canisters from the fireworks which will only end up in our drains to contribute to the flooding which will undoubtedly happen. These things do matter and every little we can do to prevent it counts!

Traditional Fireworks cause substantial air pollution leaving metal particles and other toxins in the air for days and some of those toxins will never leave the environment. Some of these chemicals are called Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which are toxic chemicals that adversely affect human health and the environment. When we consider the effects to the environment including the air and noise pollution and the effects on our animals, perhaps it's time we make better choices when it comes to fireworks.

I would like to take this time on behalf of all of us on the WEPTT Team and our families to wish everyone a Happy Diwali. Have a safe and happy Diwali everyone. Shubh Diwali.