Bonfire night, or Guy Fawkes Night as it’s known by many, is a popular event that takes place each year on or around 5th November. It’s a night where people gather around bonfires, and the sky is lit up by spectacular fireworks displays. Here in the UK it’s a big deal, with events going off all over the country. Whether in people’s back gardens, or in bigger settings such as castle grounds.
My Memories Of Bonfire Night Growing Up
I don’t know about you but bonfire night and fireworks displays have been a big thing in our family all my life. My mum was born on 5th November so it’s sort of been an event for us growing up. We would have all the family round (20 or more of us) for a night of sitting around a bonfire in the back garden. With hotdogs and burgers. Followed by marshmallows on sticks melting over the fire. The would come the big finale when my dad would create a little fireworks display for us. Most of the fireworks would come from various supermarkets and very little went wrong over the years.
However, one year my uncle decided to get something called the big bang. It came with a warning label saying we should be at least 25 feet away from this one. Let’s just say the garden wasn’t big enough for this so we went with it! Luckily, all was OK.
Then one year my older brother decided to give it a go while my parents were away. Long story short, he stuck it in the ground the wrong way up and it blew a hole in the garden! Then there was the year my husband decided to join in and stuck a rocket in the ground. It exploded about 5 meters away from us!
The Environmental Impact
Over the years we never really thought about the environmental impact our bonfires and firework displays were having on the planet. I guess most people don’t think about these things when they’re having fun. However, this last year the environment has really been a focal point in the decisions i make. From buying less clothes and reducing my plastic waste. To things like how eco-friendly is having a bonfire each year. Until i did some research recently, i had no idea!
Burning something is a chemical reaction that results in emissions of carbon and other toxic fumes. So in that sense, it’s not possible to have a 100% eco-friendly bonfire night. Especially when people all over the world are doing the same thing. Think of how many toxic fumes are released over the bonfire night period across the world. This is made worse by the fireworks themselves as they are generally full of chemicals to make them brightly coloured.
Are There Eco-Friendly Alternatives?
Yes absolutely! If you are opting to host a fireworks display this year, then there are ways to do this in a more environmentally friendly way. Attending a public firework display is a much more environmentally-friendly way to view fireworks due to the collective nature. Given, there are much fewer of these events planned for 2021 since the pandemic. However, there are still ways you can be more eco-conscious on Guy Fawkes Night.
Sky Lanterns
Sky lanterns should be banned anyway due to the likelihood they will catch on fire and could cause damage to the vegetation and wildlife. However, they are still legal here in the UK. Although if you want to be more eco-friendly this year, avoid using these at all costs! It may look great to see the float up into the sky, however, they have to land somewhere. When they do, it’s just more waste to put into landfill.
Bio-Degradeable Fireworks
It’s as though we all go back to being children on fireworks night. Eagerly waiting for the night to be ablaze with colour and wonder. There’s something so magical and mesmerising about fireworks. However, these stunning displays emit large amounts of smoke, chemicals and metal by-products as a result. Not exactly eco-friendly!
These days it’s easier to get your hands on more eco-friendly fireworks that have been created to reduce the amount of toxic fumes emitted. Of course, these eco-friendly alternatives are generally more expensive as they are harder to make. However, be assured that by choosing this option, you’re having a more positive effect on the environment. You can even get eco-friendly sparklers as well.
These more eco-friendly versions are made using clean-burning, nitrogen-based fuels. The smaller amounts of metal salts also means the stunning colours we all love to see can still be produced. Just at a lesser cost to the planet! You can also simply opt for white coloured fireworks as these have fewer harmful chemicals in than their more colourful variants.
Watch Out For Wildlife
We may love to see the fireworks exploding all over the sky. However, just imagine what it’s like for animals who have no concept of what a firework is! To them, all the loud bangs and explosions are the scariest thing. Then there’s also the bonfire itself to think about. Wildlife such as hedgehogs will see a huge mountain of wood as a great place to set up their new home. If you’re making a bonfire yourself, try to do it on the day so no hedgehogs get the chance to set up home overnight.
Also, don’t forget to look after your pets who might also find all the loud bangs very disturbing.
Choose Your Fuel Wisely
When Guy Fawkes Night comes around, it can be tempting to use this as a good excuse to burn any old rubbish lying around. However, this should not be what you do, especially if you are trying to be more environmentally friendly. If you see a bonfire that’s producing a lot of excess smoke, the likelihood is that the items being burned aren’t natural materials. They could be covered in paint, varnish, rubber, or other chemicals. These chemicals are VERY toxic to the environment.
Instead, opt for items such as – twigs, paper, leaves, wood and brown cardboard. These more natural materials will emit less toxic smoke, and are also likely to produce much less waste. Meaning your bonfire or fire pit be much cleaner once the fire is out. Also, less smoke means you’ll be able to enjoy the night sky, and the beautiful colours from the fireworks better.
What will you be doing this Guy Fawkes Night? Will you have your own little display? Or will you go to a more eco-friendly bonfire night near you?
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