NEW YEAR, NEW DAMAGE?
Fireworks, they’re colorful and they are known for symbolizing happiness, joy, celebration, and new beginnings. The majority of humans have a happy and good childhood memory when it comes to fireworks at New Years’ following a tradition that has been part of their lives since they can think to remember. Most people never question the true and terrible impact they have on others, on non-human animals, which is a huge problem.
➸ Read about “Traditions Are Peer Pressure From Dead People To Justify Violence”
TRAUMA, PANIC & DEATH
Fireworks are very scary and dangerous to non-human animals, living in the wild or with us at home. Animal individuals are under huge stress and threatened sometimes days before the 31st of December, due to the loud unexpected noises, which they can’t locate and assign, which causes severe fear and anxiety.
Fireworks can cause various damages to non-human animals due to sparks, flames, and smoke. It is very often reported that birds fall from the sky due to fear of death; caused by disorientation from fumes and bright sudden lights and explosions in the sky, which brings a high risk of birds also crashing into buildings or flying in distress and fear towards the vast ocean to escape the loud noises and lights, never returning due to panic and exhaustion.
Deer and other animals in the woods are often scared to death and their sensitive escaping instincts make them run away, getting lost and separated from their families and they often get lost on busy roads which are their death (and humans getting into dangerous accidents too) because they are so scared they don't know where they are running to.
Dog companions break free from the leash and run away in a panic, which is often fatal, and others suffer from panic attacks and seizures.
HARMFUL CHEMICALS
Fireworks also cause extensive air pollution and water pollution in a short amount of time, leaving metal particles, dangerous toxins, harmful chemicals, and smoke in the air and water for hours and days and even months after New Years, sometimes never fully decomposing and slowly sinking in the groundwater becoming a harmful, toxic part of the ecosystem.
Non-human animals can be severely injured externally as well as internally by plastic particles and can sniff up toxic chemicals and ingest them with their food intake.
However, chemical substances also remain in the air for a long time and we all breathe the same air.
FURTHER HARMFUL IMPACTS
Apart from the disastrous affects, fireworks have on animals and the environment, people are not aware of the other effects they have on humans, such as causing even more trauma to war survivors and war refugees but also many do not know about child labor in the firework industry. According to the ILO (International Labour Organization) over 80 million children worldwide are employed in dangerous work; many of them in the firework industry.
Every year, fireworks cause serious injuries and even death to human and non-human beings.
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE THE GOOD IS
The money that is put into this industry that harms everyone and the planet can be of much better use being put into vegan animal sanctuaries, all kinds of charity projects, or supporting individual vegan activists who bring lasting peace, joy, and improvement through educational work that helps everyone instead of destroying this planet, its inhabitants and the world we all live in.
➸ List of individual activists, vegan sanctuaries, or organizations to support.
Make animal-friendly, human-friendly, and environmentally-friendly new traditions together.
THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE NEW YEARS
Instead of supporting this destructive industry by paying money into it you could simply have a cozy campfire outside with vegan snacks and treats or light some candles in your home knowing that we can only ask for and expect change if we are the change ourselves first by breaking the chain of exploitation, harm and death by following new and better traditions that are respecting and cherishing our fellow earthlings and environment.
Make animal-friendly, human-friendly, and environmentally-friendly new traditions together instead of feeding a monster that we created ourselves which will sooner than later destroy us until all is lost.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
Yet the biggest positive direct impact you can have on animals’ lives, which have to be respected at any time, is changing your mindset and overall lifestyle forever. Start to understand why veganism is not a trend or a “ worth trying”, but a must and a just way of living.
See all animals for who they are; sentient, living beings who deserve justice and respect. By adapting your actions to your morals and following a plant-based diet, and living without any use of animal-sources for clothing, cosmetics, etc. you are automatically taking a stance against the biggest injustice on this planet: speciesism.
Remember: we are far past “baby steps”; it is time to take action now and go vegan today!
➸ Read about “Fuck Your Stupid Baby Steps”
➸ Read about “The Vicious Circle Of Zoonotic Diseases”
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DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO IT?
Join a vegan kickstart program today and get the support and help you need to get started. The only thing you’ll regret is that you didn’t do it sooner.
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Please note:
➸ when the term "human" is used, then human animals are meant by it, and the same applies to the term "animal", who are non-human animals.➸ text and illustrations are intellectual property of Kerstin Brueller. Sharing the content for private purposes is appreciated and always to be provided with a copyright. It is prohibited to copy and share it for commercial purposes. Please contact me for a collaboration, if you are unsure or have any further questions. Thanks for your understanding.➸ I personally care much about symbolism and the meaning of certain shapes and metaphors. The images and interpretations are the representation of my own imagination.