Fireworks first appeared in the second century B.C in ancient Liuyang, China. They were really bamboo stalks that when thrown into a blazing fire would explode with a big bang because of the overheating of the hollow air pockets in the bamboo. Thus, it provided an entertainment, a public sign to show happiness or celebration and an immensely spectacular and stunning display.

However, as technology developed, so did the negativity of fireworks. People started using paper rolls instead of natural bamboo and filled it with gun-powder. They might also be filled with flash paper and a fuse. When you light the fuse of a firecracker, the fire burns along the fuse until it reaches the gunpowder – where it explodes.

This has its pros and cons. Let’s look at the good side first (which is not too much).

Fireworks have always been a source of enjoyment to mankind for centuries. They have served as a source of happiness for many festivals like New Year. Men lighted fireworks as a sign to mark a special day or an hour. For example, in France, people produce fireworks on midnight on 31st December every year to mark the arrival of the new year. Queen Elizabeth the First loved a colorful firework display so much, that she even appointed a “Fire Master of England.” This title was granted to the person who produced the best fireworks throughout England.

There are, as I said earlier, disadvantages and a lot more than you think.

Firstly, proper fireworks cost a lot of money. They are expensive because almost all of them are made by hand. It is a careful and delicate procedure to craft a single fire-work so it is a bit pricey. Would you have ever guessed that Americans alone shell out around 1 billion dollars overall on fireworks and crackers? I guess it's just not worth it. After all, it is not ever-lasting. After a few minutes, it will be gone for good, won’t it? So why waste our money on things that vanish within a couple of seconds, moreover leaving behind smoke and toxic fumes?

Also, it is very dangerous, considering the fact that it can cause serious burns and eye injuries. The ‘shell–and–mortar’ fireworks are in fact, deadly. These types of fireworks have led to the maximum number of deaths and serious injuries in children and adults due to mis-handling them even a bit. For precise statistics, a recent study at the University of Washington study proved that that the ‘shell–and–mortar’ fireworks caused 40% of all fireworks injuries that led to hospitalization of 294 patients and 86% of all fireworks injuries to adults. If a tiny thing goes wrong the whole firework might be catastrophe. The terrific amount of ‘banging’ from the fireworks is much more hazardous than you think. It affects millions of animals’ hearing ability and it does that to humans too.

So, many families who have a passion for fireworks but are concerned about fireworks-related injuries, hire a lighting expert to display the fireworks for them, which again costs a lot.

And the biggest disadvantage of all is that it causes extensive air pollution within a few seconds. The toxic fumes of the fireworks are extremely dangerous for both humans and animals how can unintentionally inhale it. They let out an alarming amount of ozone which is a major factor that leads to global warming. Fireworks that are lighted near forest areas have more than often caused forest-fires destroying the natural habitat of many birds and animals.

Hence, many countries have taken steps to create awareness about how fireworks affect the environment. Massachusetts is the only state that completely bans all consumer fireworks, though they do allow professionals to put on firework displays. Due to the alarming level of air pollution in Delhi, the sale of fireworks was banned in the city by the Supreme Court during Diwali in 2017. In Belgium, fireworks cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 16. Fireworks are available for purchase year-round but may only be used by police permission.

These are just a few of a million examples of steps taken to abolish unnecessary and harmful pollutants.

Our family have never amused ourselves with fireworks, even for special occasions such as Christmas or New Year. Instead, we substitute fireworks with a lot more eco-friendly but equally enjoyable confetti blast. It’s messy and fun and doesn’t pollute the natural environment (although there’s a big mess on the floor!). I would advise you to do the same too, avoiding fireworks.

Sometimes, in our building compound, during festivals or birthday parties, children and adults would come together and play around with sparklers and fireworks. I would watch them from my window while thinking about all the fun they were having. When we would go out the next time, the cement floor would be trashed with metal pieces, soot, empty firework tubes, etc. The air would smell strongly of smoke too.

A few months after that incident, a class from our school acted out a play where they included the disadvantages of lighting fireworks. That started me thinking about them and I started a research about the cons of fireworks which astonished me. I felt the need to make it aware to children and even adults who enjoy fireworks to please reconsider if they want to go ahead. I typed this article so that we won’t play with fireworks risking the pure air, natural environment, painful or even permanent injuries and even our lives. In 2015, 11 people were killed because of sparklers (which are considered quite safe) because they mis-handled it slightly.

To conclude, I would say that I am not denying that fireworks are a wonderful source of enjoyment, but it is also very important to consider what it does to the environment. Do you really think that buying fireworks for sheer pleasure that lasts only for a minute is worth it?