Celebrating New Years Eve

New Year's Eve is the last day of the calendar year, or December 31 in the Gregorian calendar. This will also be the last day of the year where Filipinos will spend excessively. Since Filipinos is a firecracker-crazy people, for sure most of the spending will be for firecrackers. Even though the New Year's celebration in the Philippines has already resulted in a lot injuries and death from fireworks usage it will still be normally boisterous New Year's Eve revelry for the Filipinos.

The implementation of Iwas Paputok of the DOH (Department of Health) of the Philippines will educate public of the harmful effects of firecrackers and other explosives. This program usually includes TV commercial which shows the victims of firecrackers from the previous years. The video usually shows the severed body parts of some of the victims due to firecrackers blast. But this kind program will not deter Filipinos from using firecrackers. Every year the government warns Filipinos not to use firecrackers due to its harmful effect, but as always there is still report of firecracker related injuries.

The loud noise being produced by firecrackers blast is also harmful to human and animals. Noise pollution disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal. This may cause temporary or permanent hearing problem. Motorcycles, firecrackers, and firearms can produce sounds from 120 to 140 decibels and cause hearing loss. They can also cause severe ear injuries for animals that are very sensitive to sound. Intense noise could damage their ears and terrify them. There are I know people who suffered Tinnitus after the New Year celebration. Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head.

The worst thing is it doesn't only cause body injuries; it is also harmful to the environment. After New Year's Eve, the Philippines is covered with blanket of smog due to the smoke produce by lighting firecrackers. And the smell of burned firecrackers usually stays up to two weeks. The litters of firecrackers packaging and remains also fills the streets and all open ground in the Philippines. The smoke of firecrackers is one of the possible causes of asthma. In my opinion, even though the Philippines is not the number one contributor to the global warning, we climb to this position every New Year. Almost every household in the Philippines use firecrackers to celebrate New Year. Million or maybe billion of firecrackers is being lighted simultaneously in the Philippines and usually start as early as 9 pm of December 31 up to 4 am of January 1.

So before you start buying firecrackers, think of all those harmful effects to human and environment. If you care less with the environment, just think what will be the effect to you or your love ones. But no matter how you will celebrate the New Year, I still hope all your fingers are still intact, meaning I hope everyone safely welcomed the New Year and stayed clear of dangerous firecrackers.