Last night, on Christmas, many of my neighbors decided to set off fireworks which produced a thick haze in the air that grew thicker with each BOOM 💥 💨 As I was pondering why fireworks were going off on Christmas, I heard the most terrible sound. Glass breaking, tires screeching and one loud yelp. A dog was hit by a car. We all (humans and dogs) froze in that moment. I wanted to find the dog and help but I couldn’t tell exactly where it happened. So we all cried for the dog.

This is so heartbreakingly common when fireworks are set off. Days before popular fireworks holidays like New Years and Fourth of July, there are often reminders posted everywhere to keep your dogs inside because they’re prone to run off scared when fireworks go off. Christmas is not usually one of those holidays, though. Last night, many dogs ran off and their owners are looking for them, hoping the worst didn’t happen.

Why do we continue to use fireworks knowing how disruptive they are? To our pets, to our loved ones with PTSD, to the wildlife, to the air quality? We use them as a selfish celebration for a moment that causes so much harm that lasts for days, weeks, or a lifetime. When will we realize it’s not worth it? We can celebrate in so many ways that don’t cause this level of harm. Why do so many insist on not only continuing the practice but also using them more often (like on Christmas now) in large quantities, year after year? If we decide to use our freedom to wreak havoc on the natural world; maybe we don’t really understand the concept of freedom.