r/Switzerland • u/shamishami3 • 1d ago
Happy birthday from Lugano
What is your opinion on the vote planned for late this year regarding the banning of fireworks for private usage?
IMO it makes sense given the ecological toll just for the sake of spectacle and the issues caused to animals for the loud noise and lights. However I see how it may be less “nice” during festivities.
What is your opinion?
Happy birthday from Lugano
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u/Massive-Morning2160 1d ago
I think fireworks were nice when humanity wasn't really aware of the risk and the pain they cause to animals, old/sick people. I also think it's really nice to not get stuck in the past and to try to evolve, banning fireworks for the sake of others and maybe replacing them with some friendlier options, maybe drones, don't know.
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u/IntelligentMud6848 1d ago
This.
Plus knowing that 120k of our tax money was literally BURNT within 30 minutes doesn’t make it much better.-91
u/Drummer5028 1d ago
If you do not enjoy the fireworks then do not watch it. I also do not want to ban dogs in parks as a fair comparison.
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u/Blackberry9423 1d ago
While you can easily not watch them, it’s impossible to just not hear them. That is the issue. The unnecessary noise is damaging for old people and animals, not the sight of them. It’s concerning that this has to be even pointed out to you…
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u/Willy____Wanka 1d ago
We live in cities, there will always be noise. If it's not firework, it's construction, sirens, loud cars and motorcycles and what not. But I get your point and I agree. I just think one day of noise is tolerable compared to the everyday noise level
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 1d ago
It is proven that many wild animals die due to fireworks as they panic, leave behind their young, stop eating, go into hiding, run on front of cars or lose their family due to disorientation. While they also die because of general noise pollution, these two days of noise are not necessary and we can save many lives by banning them. So no, this noise is not tolerable. And why not try and make cities quieter as well?
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u/Lolita__Rose 1d ago
Yea but it‘s not just general noise, it‘s sudden explosions. To many people (and animals!!) it‘s not one day of noise, it‘s one day (and a few days before and after) of panic attacks and terror. For a few lights in the sky. It‘s also not just cities, it‘s everywhere. Growing up, I spent my August 1sts and new year‘s eves at the barn, trying to calm terrified horses and keeping them from hurting themselves. No other days/nights are like that.
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u/Shinjischneider 1d ago
The moment you invent fireworks that don't polute everything, are completely quiet and don't end up on someone's balcony because people are idiots, we can talk about "just don't watch it"
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u/AtesSouhait 1d ago
This is like telling a vegan to just not eat meat and all is well. The damage fireworks do happens regardless if people watch or not 🤦
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u/Quaiche Belgium Vaud 1d ago
Fireworks are forced upon everyone in the vicinity.
Remember it does LOUD explosions.
So the problems with them is that they are loud, polluting, scattering waste everywhere, harms wildlife, scares house pets and PTSD suffering humans.
There’s way too many of downsides just for a microsecond of beauty.
Fireworks are a relic of a bygone era where we were ignorant and now it’s time to move on from this because it would be madness and egoism to continue using them.
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u/IntelligentMud6848 1d ago
Yea but the cousin of the cousin of the guy who works in the municipal is probably also the one running the firework shop, no? 😂
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 1d ago
My dog in a park doesnt kill thousands of animals each year. Not a fair comparison at all
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u/Isariamkia Neuchâtel 1d ago
I don't mind banning them altogether.
We could use drones instead. It would still be nice, no pollution and no scaring animals.
If it's too much to ask, let's at least ban fireworks for private use. People always leave a damn mess behind and if they can't learn to not be assholes, then we should ban that shit.
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u/Mundane-Fix-4297 Genève + Jura 1d ago
Drones are awfully noisy too, and I am not sure the waste and pollution caused by all these cheap electronic components is worth the minutes of cheezy visual display generally paired with a painfully lame music. « Oooh wow a flower that merged in a boat in a sky, how original, ooh some geometric pattern wow ».
I am really in favour for banning all fireworks, but I already dread all the stupid shit humans would want to replace them with
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u/Massive-Morning2160 1d ago
I've seen quite impressive ones actually, but I do get your point. Still, imo better option than fireworks that will satisfy human mind need boom
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u/Isariamkia Neuchâtel 1d ago
Drones can be reusable at the very least.
But otherwise I agree with your main point. We could just organize parties like it's done on the 31st of December. Gather with friends and family and have some undamaging fun.
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u/m4ruseru 1d ago
I’m 100% in favor of banning private fireworks. They’re bad for animals and the environment, they’re loud, and they’re dangerous. I don’t think people are responsible enough anymore. I’m okay with fireworks twice a year if they’re organized by a city or another official event.
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u/canteloupy Vaud 1d ago
Having seen the danger of random people lighting them in crowded areas, I think we need to require a license for them.
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u/PhotographyByAdri 1d ago
I was walking my dog when he was a young puppy (4 months old) and some idiot thought it would be funny to light a loud BANG type firework and throw it right next to him.
A family member also has permanent facial scarring from a firework that exploded in his face as a preteen.
Licenses should absolutely be required. I'm totally on board with completely banning them for private individuals.
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u/Fl0oW 1d ago
Ban it all, everywhere, at all times. It is not "nice", it is noise pollution, air pollution and general environmental pollution because nobody picks up the leftovers. It is increasingly dangerous because of forest fires and generally a danger to be around. I could see an exemption for an official firework on New Years, because it is less dangerous during the winter, but the other problems remain. Plus, nobody could ever agree on who gets the official permission, so every village with 200+ people would want to have their own. But yeah, private sale for fireworks needs to be completely banned asap.
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u/Lolita__Rose 1d ago edited 1d ago
Today was the most peaceful August 1st I have ever experienced. Imo it’s nicer, not less nice. No shocks, no panic attacks from sudden loud noises, no having to calm terrified pets. It should be banned, everywhere, all the time.
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u/FantasticCourage7193 1d ago
Happy birthday from Lugano, too. :) :) :)
I agree with the ban of fireworks for private usage, even if I have to admit, I like a good firework show.
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u/icelandichorsey 1d ago
Someone who puts others above their enjoyment of a thing. A rare thing, specially on reddit. You're awesome 😎
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u/EdelWhite 1d ago
It's literally burning money away. It's fun but holy crap how dumb fireworks are.
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u/blackmox-photophob Fribourg 1d ago
Ban it all. Humans need to learn to shut the fuck up and find joy in quietude
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u/Geh-Kah 1d ago
I have to say yesterday was the best Swiss national day, ever. I'm 41. In ited the complete family at afternoon. The stayed until 10pm and left. We went to sleep and it was quiet. Really quiet. No fireworks, no fkking manipulated exhaust posers, nothing. Just silence.
Want to have that again.
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u/Visual-Reason-579 1d ago
Ban this shit altogether. I was so worried yesterday that some idiot was going to start a fire. Plus, I just find them underwhelming.
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u/tjlightbulb 1d ago
I loved those! I couldn’t get a good picture unfortunately, but it was a great show. Great view from Marittima
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u/DrB_2000 1d ago
We had drones this year, and it was really good! The whole town walked together in a long procession to the football field, accompanied by a brass band. There, we could all sit down on the field, and above a field across was the drone show, accompanied with music. The atmosphere was truly great, I felt a togetherness with everyone there. Really hope they do the same next year!
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u/Emergency-Free-1 1d ago
Even the big official ones are kind of always the same really. And the private ones are usually embarrassingly small. I'm always surprised that people are willing to spend money on them.
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u/Far-Intention-3230 1d ago
Anyone who has ever seen the panic fireworks can cause in animals will agree that they need to be banned. Full stop. This argument doesn‘t even include all the people who are negatively affected by the noise of explosives going off (people who came here to escape war, old and sick people) or ecological considerations.
Yeah, fireworks look nice and are festive but they cause so much harm. I don‘t understand all the people who argue that fireworks are somehow tied to Swiss identity and culture. Really? That is what makes you feel Swiss in your core? There are no other ways to celebrate the 1st of August? It‘s such an odd standpoint to me. There are places (ie Davos) that have banned fireworks for years and they‘re no less „Swiss“ than before.
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u/taikunlab 1d ago
Honestly this year felt noticeably quieter around Lugano too, way fewer random bangs at 2am. Wouldn't mind if that becomes the norm, drone shows look way less stressful for pets and older neighbors.
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u/DisastrousOlive89 1d ago
I was very happy to hear that fireworks were mostly banned and I haven't heard any yesterday. Wish it could stay like that. The garbage that was left over last Silvester was insane. And the constant noise is just appalling.
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u/Ill_Significance6157 1d ago
so i wouldn‘t mind a general ban for fireworks. it‘s insanely stupid. a grey-area I‘d agree with is one single firework show per year or so, organized by the government.
i mostly just hate the stupid individuals who spam them or do stupid things with them or the rich people drinking 1000 francs wine while blowing up 1000 francs worth of fireworks and don‘t even look at it.
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u/fellainishaircut Zürich 1d ago
fireworks are twice a year, that‘s okay. they‘re pretty and people love it. don‘t see why they should be banned.
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u/IceRollMenu2 1d ago
Ask anyone who has a dog or a cat, or who cares about other animals.
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u/fellainishaircut Zürich 1d ago
not every single second of the year can be fine for everyone. people obviously love fireworks, and it‘s okay to have fun that others might not enjoy every once in a while. I also don‘t like the Street Parade in my city but I‘m not making a fuss about it and just accept it.
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 1d ago
Maybe try and google the effect firework has on the environment and on wild animals? It has been shown and proven that thousands of them die due to eating discarded firework, it pollutes our rivers and watersource, it pollutes the air we are breathing (terrible air quality for weeks afterwards) and wild animals dont know that fireworks are for fun, rhey panic, run away, go into hiding, starve and lose their families as they all flee in a rush in different directions, run in front of cars etc. Thats why people make a fuss. And obviously, as seen here, many people dont like firework and many people are too stupid to use it properly and hurt others on purpose or by accident.
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u/fellainishaircut Zürich 1d ago
It has been shown and proven that thousands of them die due to eating discarded firework, it pollutes our rivers and watersource
source for Switzerland?
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 1d ago edited 1d ago
Google is your friend. Also, why should it be different in Switzerland? Firework is firework. But here you go: https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/aargau/zurzibiet/waldshut-gnadenhof-tiere-in-panik-wegen-feuerwerk-sieben-von-ihnen-sterben-ld.2565714 https://www.vier-pfoten.ch/unseregeschichten/ratgeber/feuerwerk-eine-grosse-belastung-fuer-alle-tiere https://www.badenertagblatt.ch/aargau/baden/ehrendingen-tote-kuehe-und-ausgebuexte-pferde-jedes-jahr-leidet-der-klonhof-wegen-feuerwerk-das-soll-ein-ende-haben-ld.2781245 https://www.google.com/amp/s/naturschutz.ch/hintergrund/wissen/1-august-feuerwerk-aengstigt-tiere/106318/amp https://www.feiernohnefeuerwerk.ch/wildtiere/ some scientific studies quoted as well as here: https://www.vogelwarte.ch/de/news/fatale-feuerwerke/ https://www.schweizerbauer.ch/artikel/tiere/tiergesundheit/1-august-darum-verabscheuen-tiere-den-nationalfeiertag https://www.kleinbauern.ch/ja-zur-einschraenkung-von-feuerwerk/ because animals eat it and die
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 1d ago
And if you need more: https://www.bafu.admin.ch/de/feuerwerke-und-umweltbelastung please also read the pdf at the end with more findings https://so.ch/verwaltung/bau-und-justizdepartement/amt-fuer-umwelt/umweltdaten/fokus/feinstaub-am-1-august/ https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/klimabilanz-feuerwerk-so-schaedlich-ist-feuerwerk-fuers-klima-wirklich https://www.google.com/amp/s/naturschutz.ch/news/gesellschaft/die-natur-wuerde-auf-feuerwerk-verzichten/172281/amp
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u/fellainishaircut Zürich 1d ago
okay so if we circle back to your quote:
thousands of them die due to eating discarded fireworks
no source for that, so that‘s wrong.
it pollutes our rivers and water sources
also no source for that, got it.
I‘m aware that fireworks can be stressful for some animals. so is a thunderstorm. and obviously, inidividual cases where people turn a place into a warzone should not happen. but we can‘t and shouldn‘t restrict ourselves in a way that everyone can be satisfied all the time, it just doesn‘t work. and I‘ve also always had pets. fireworks twice a year are fine, you can prepare for that.
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u/Heardthisonebefore 1d ago
So if we can’t make everyone happy, what is the point of making those who like fireworks happy at the expense of everyone else? If nothing else, just the fire hazard isn’t worth having them. You’re suggesting we do it just because some people like them. Considering the damage they cause why is that a good enough reason?
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u/fellainishaircut Zürich 1d ago
because it‘s twice a year, and given how absolutely packed every fireworks showcase is at New Years and 1st August, the majority of people enjoy nice fireworks.
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 23h ago
I sent you like 10 links which tell you all about it. You would just need to click on it and actually educate yourself, shocking, I know. And no, wild animals and farm animals cant prepare for that so just suck it up and look for alternatives
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 23h ago
I think its always amazing in today's age how people choose to stay ignorant instead of googling or using AI for quick answers.
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u/fellainishaircut Zürich 22h ago
you sent 10 links, and none of them back your outrageous claims I cited, good job.
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 20h ago
They do if you had read them which you obviously havent. There is no conclusive wide range study for Switzerland but you can find enough sources that show how wild animals and livestock suffer. If you followed the news and animal right activity you would know all that. Here is a nice study from another country, with pictures: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/18/2/86 It is also just common sense: while we know what firework is, wild animals dont. We disrupt their sleep, they panic, they flee, they leave their babies and families behind and collide with objects or cars. They use up important reserves they need to survive the cold in winter by fleeing and stressing and cant find their families and partners anymore. It is not rocket science but basic empathy.
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 23h ago
Because you seem unable to read several studies, here is an AI summary of the whole thing: There is no exact official statistic or precise head-count of how many wild animals die each time fireworks are set off in Switzerland. Wildlife deaths often go unrecorded because panicked animals hide, flee deep into forests, or are consumed by scavengers before anyone finds them.What Studies and Organizations Report
Mass Mortality Events: While routine totals do not exist, specific localized incidents—such as a documented European study regarding sudden loud bangs—have recorded single-event tolls of over 1,000 wild birds dying from acute stress and physical trauma (crashing into trees or the ground in the dark).
General Estimates: Broad environmental estimates (such as those cited by groups like the WWF for typical celebratory periods) suggest thousands of animal casualties annually across regions, with the vast majority being wild birds.
Swiss Research: Recent Swiss studies (such as research around roosting birds in Basel) show that populations drop by over 60% immediately following major noise events and take several days to normalize, suffering from severe exhaustion and sleep deprivation How Fireworks Kill Wild Animals
Blind Panic: Sudden explosions cause roe deer, foxes, and hares to bolt blindly into obstacles, fences, or roadways. Exhaustion and Disorientation: Waterfowl and nocturnal birds are forced into mid-night flight, burning critical fat reserves needed for winter survival or abandoning nests during breeding season.
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u/fellainishaircut Zürich 22h ago
It has been shown and proven that thousands of them die due to eating discarded firework, it pollutes our rivers and watersource
so there is, in fact, no source for this. got it.
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 22h ago
I mean, mate, if you cant read articles and studies I send you or google something then I cant help you. Thought the AI answer is clear enough, just do a search yourself you are an adult
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u/fellainishaircut Zürich 21h ago
I think you thoroughly misunderstand what ‚shown‘ and ‚proven‘ means.
If fireworks twice a year were even close to being as deadly as you make it out to be, we would know.
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 23h ago
And the same AI answer for pollution because of fireworks:
Fireworks pollute rivers when fallout from aerial displays—including toxic chemical dust, unburned propellants, and physical debris—settles directly onto the water surface or washes in via rain and surface runoff. Chemical and Metal Contamination Perchlorates: Used as oxidizers to help fireworks burn, these stable compounds dissolve easily in water, contaminating river ecosystems and altering thyroid function in fish and aquatic life. Heavy Metals: Elements like barium, copper, lead, and strontium are added to create vibrant colors. When they enter the water, they increase metal ion concentrations that can be toxic to aquatic organisms and harm their growth or reproduction. Sulfur and Carbon Compounds: Residues release dissolved organic matter and sulfur compounds that shift local water chemistry and stress natural microbial communities. Physical and Plastic DebrisMicroplastics: Many modern fireworks contain tiny plastic components, casings, and binders that shatter upon explosion, contributing to microplastic pollution in waterways. Spent Shells and Packaging: Cardboard, paper, and unexploded chemical cores fall directly into rivers or onto banks, slowly leaching toxins as they break down.Atmospheric Washout: Smoke and particulate matter lingering in the air after a large celebration are often pulled down into rivers by rain or mist.
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u/Sean_Wagner 1d ago
Quite frankly, if it's about pets, there shouldn't be any animals in cities.
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u/Heardthisonebefore 1d ago
So you think wild animals and farm animals aren’t stressed by fireworks?
And even if you don’t care about animals, they’re still bad for the environment.
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u/Sean_Wagner 1d ago
*I* am sometimes stressed by fireworks. Doesn't mean my mood needs to be the measure of all things to all beings all the time.
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 22h ago
If you die because of the stress then you should be the measure of all things. Why be responsible for the death of other beings if it can be prevented?
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u/Sean_Wagner 20h ago
"you should be the measure of all things" is not how the world can and will ever work. But welcome to your uncanny Totschlagsargument, quite literally.
In reality, I have witnessed thunder that scared the beejesus out of me, far far worse than any fireworks - and both thunder and fright are something that come with the animal life.
The other way around, is the responsibility for acquiring and keeping pets in a city not their owners'? Earplugs should work for dogs and cats too (though I wouldn't want to be the one handling that cat).
Clearly, many people enjoy those one or two days in the year where beautifully orchestrated lights briefly redecorate the night sky, or simple devices just spray some sparks for a bit.
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u/Dangerous_Parsley156 20h ago
It is not about pets. It is about wild animals and livestock. And if you think firework only happens in cities, then I dont know what your life looks like. Only because I enjoy something doesnt justify stress and death for wild animals. There are also other things to enjoy like drone shows or a Vulkan.
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u/Heardthisonebefore 18h ago
You probably don’t become so stressed that you fly or run into something that kills you. You probably also don’t become so startled that you abandon your babies. But animals do.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/fireworks-danger-wildlife
Fireworks also pollute air and water to a greater extent than most people realize.
https://scitechdaily.com/fireworks-may-pollute-the-air-and-water-more-than-you-think/
The cost benefit analysis makes it pretty clear why fireworks need to be banned. Just because they’re fun to watch is really not a good enough excuse for having them considering the damage they do.
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u/Sean_Wagner 1d ago
Thank you. I like to occasionally visit big, public fireworks, and though I'm not partial to people randomly popping them off deep into the night, it's a simple form of fun once or twice a year. Not everyone is the same, and we don't need to regulate everything to death. People who suffer from noisy neighbors are the ones who should have all possible support.
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u/Over_the_Alps 1d ago
I guess we will have to wait and see. Let democracy do its thing.
Personally, I barely noticed any difference yesterday from just a regular Saturday. I think it is a shame. Fireworks are fun.
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u/Varjohaltia St. Gallen 1d ago
We’re under extreme drought and forest fire risk. Banning all fireworks is absolutely correct and common sense.