I’ve never been much of a fan of fireworks – boom, bang, flash, whatever. They create quite a mess, as well.
The town of Sunapee will replace them this Fourth of July with a drone show, which is interesting. The Valley News has the story (here):
Town Manager Shannon Martinez said the switch came about after a group of residents who are “more and more concerned about the health of our watershed,” approached town officials earlier this spring about the impact the annual fireworks show has on the health of Lake Sunapee. According to a 2019 “Environmental Fact Sheet” put together by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, debris from fireworks can be “a potential source chemical contaminants to the waterbody.” Additionally, some fireworks have phosphorus and nitrogen compounds “that contribute to algal and plant growth in lakes.”
After a few more conversations, the Selectboard approved a pilot program for a drone show. It will cost around $16,000 to put on, which is a similar cost to fireworks shows, Martinez said.
Coordinated drone shows can be quite amazing; search for videos online if you haven’t seen any.
Alas, it won’t be long before they’re all turned into advertisements and then we’ll rue the day they existed.
Return to the Concord Monitor