***

The dangerous, polluting ritual of firecrackers to greet the New Year is grossly out of place in this period of hard times; causes accidents and lung problems; the money could be spent on good media noche food.

I came out of my Makati building to find a bunch of kids firing crackers on the sidewalk, smoke billowing around them, and the building’s security guards cheering them on. Shouldn’t security guards be oriented against explosives by their agencies? Where do they get money for firecrackers when they are homeless, living on leftover garbage food from fast foods? I asked the security guards if it was possible for them to shoo these children away, discourage them from playing with firecrackers, both for reason of wasted money, for noise pollution and air pollution.

"The money thrown away for few minutes of flicker and sparkle that emit toxic smoke and dirt which can cause ill health, terrifying powerless animals, bombarding and causing slow deafness to humans; the money should be spent wisely for a healthy and nutritious media noche on New Year’s eve. Also, funds allocated for multi-million peso pyrotechnic display being planned by public and private entities are better spent to bring real food to the tables of hungry Filipinos."—Manny Calonzo, president of the EcoWaste Coalition.

A box of piccolo which costs P70 can buy 14 pieces of ponkan, while judas belt which sells at P300 per roll is more than enough to cook a full spaghetti meal for a family of six. Both piccolo and judas belt are banned, along with other equally dangerous firecrackers such as atomic bomb, bawang, boga, kwitis, lolo thunder, og, plapla, super lolo, watusi and whistle bomb.

"We exhort all parents and kids to switch to non-injurious, non-wasteful and non-toxic New Year revelry to avoid the yearly scene of carnage and trash, as well as to honor and thank Mother Nature for her bountiful gifts to our nation and people."

The coalition emphasized that firecrackers pose serious threats to life, limb, health and property, and present a climate and chemical challenge with the emission of harmful substances that can aggravate the air quality.

The Coalition and supporting groups distributed leaflets suggesting the adoption of the following non-injurious, non-wasteful, non-toxic and easy on the pocket replacements to costly and deadly firecrackers:

1. Blow traditional horns or "torotot."

2. Make and shake homemade maracas from used tin cans.

3. Jiggle the tambourine made from flattened bottle caps.

4. Clang improvised cymbals using pot lids or pans.

5. Knock empty coconut shells.

6. Play the guitar or any available musical instrument.

7. Play your favorite music.

8. Beep the bicycle or car horns.

9. Clap your hands and stump your feet.

10. Sing, dance and shout "Happy New Year!"

ECOWASTE COALITION: Unit 320, Eagle Court, 26 Matalino St., 1101 Quezon City, Philippines, phone: 9290376 Fax: 4364733 E-Mail: ecowastecoalition@yahoo.com

Blog: http://ecowastecoalition.blogspot.com/