It’s time to move on from fireworks

Every 4th of July Americans set off 200 million of pounds of fireworks, which:

• leads to a big drop in air quality^[1][2]
• release toxic metals including lead into the air and water^[3]
• can kill thousands of birds at once^[4][5]
• are extremely stressful to pets^[6][7]
• and induce PTSD in people who have endured war.^[8]

In 2026 we have viable alternatives that let people celebrate the holiday while being kind to our human and animal neighbors. We ask that cities:

• Use drone shows instead of fireworks for their official celebrations; and
• Strictly enforce bans on setting off large fireworks.

Several cities have already moved on from fireworks: Salt Lake City,^[9] Flagstaff Arizona,^[10] and Boulder Colorado.^[11]

Who’s behind this?

A Seattle resident who never understood the harms of fireworks until he adopted cats.

Nuance

Drone shows are not devoid of environmental harm.

The batteries used to power drones need to be replaced regularly and manufacturing these batteries has environmental impact. Quantifying the impact of drone shows is a nascent research area but one thing is clear: drone shows eliminate a class of issues due to loud bangs.

Contact

Send comments, questions, feedback to: contact@stopthebooms.notthis.org