“2023 can begin without … a bang, with respect for nature and animals, and above all, with a zero environmental footprint,” according to environmental organizations and scientists, who are calling for the new year to also mark a shift in mindset on specific issues.
A bad habit that has become particularly prevalent in recent years, according to Nikos Panagiotopoulos of the Kastoria Environmental Protection Society, is the tendency to express our joy at various events and celebrations by setting off firecrackers and fireworks. «Especially now that we in Kastoria are preparing for the Ragoutsaria festival, there are constant celebrations involving the setting off of firecrackers and fireworks. However, beyond the danger this poses to us, consider that all animals are afraid of loud noises—not just domestic animals but also the wildlife in our lake,» says Mr. Panagiotopoulos.
As he explains, the terror and fear that overwhelm the animals at that moment are intense and lead them into a state of extreme panic and severe stress. In their attempt to protect themselves, many are injured or separated from their owners, and there are even cases of death from the shock of the loud noise, which mainly affects small birds. It is no coincidence, after all, that in recent days, the wild birdlife that was visible from the lakeside area next to the city has disappeared, seeking refuge in calmer waters and far from noisy Kastoria!
Mr. Papanagiotopoulos suggests using fireworks that do not make a loud bang, but only produce a flash, since this does not disturb the animals—they do not see as well as humans do, but they hear much better than we do.
Meanwhile, Ilias Strachinis, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Biology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a member of the Hellenic Herpetological Society, refers to it as a «dangerous custom,» referring to sky lanterns, which can cause fires and are also a major source of pollution. «In 2009, a sky lantern set a house on fire in Siegen, Germany, resulting in the death of a 10-year-old boy. In July of that same year, a sky lantern set two houses on fire in the German city of Dieburg. On January 1, 2020, a sky lantern fell into a zoo in Germany, set the facilities on fire, and burned nearly all the orangutans and chimpanzees alive. On July 1, 2013, the «largest fire ever recorded» in the West Midlands of England involved 100,000 metric tons of recyclable material and caused damage estimated at 6 million pounds; »It started with a sky lantern that landed at a recycling plant in Smethwick,” says Mr. Strachinis, citing relevant data, while also sharing his personal experience, when, on May 1, 2021, he saw sky lanterns being released from Zacharo, Elis, land in the Smerna Forest, and, as he says, cause a fire.
According to Mr. Strachinis, the little lights that fall on land and in the sea are eaten by sea turtles, become entangled in birds and other animals, and cause pollution. «These little lanterns are made of wire, and when they fall, animals are at risk of getting tangled in them. Following numerous incidents of serious fires, pollution, animal deaths, and other hazards around the world, sky lanterns have already been banned in Germany, Austria, Spain, Chile, Brazil, the state of Washington, and other countries.’ Balloons released at all kinds of events—which then end up in the natural environment—cause the same pollution problem.
Natasha Karathanou
