To think that people who care about the environment

[GladAllOver]

won't be celebrating Guy Fawkes with bonfires sending up smoke and burning creatures in them, and setting off fireworks shooting poisonous chemicals into the atmosphere.

For fucks sake. Can we stop finding ways to belittle people, make them feel like shit and basically laughing at them because they’re trying to change something.

Not everyone gets it right. People don’t have all the facts and THATS OK. It’s the mentality behind wanting to do better and be better.

Little changes lead to big changes. And what do you get out of being smug and superior? Anything? Does that help the bloody environment?

won't be celebrating Guy Fawkes with bonfires sending up smoke and burning creatures in them, and setting off fireworks shooting poisonous chemicals into the atmosphere

No I won’t. Does that mean I pass your essential credentials?

Surely by far and away the bigger environmental impact is the rubbish and littering caused by shooting fireworks off into the sky with little care about where they come down?

Also agree you’re not going to get very far with the superior tone - it’s possible to have a sensible conversation about the environmental impact of events without starting people off feeling defensive.

I will mostly be comforting my dog on bonfire night, so no fireworks for me. I bloody hate it!

Ridiculous. Why are people so negative and uppity about the impending shitshow of climate change?

People do what they can. Nobody is perfect.

Your attitude is bewildering, OP.

If millions of people did small things to help the environment, rather than people hammering on that those who care should do everything to help the environment then there would be a much bigger impact.

If everyone cut back on single use plastic, walked further rather than taking the car for small journeys and ate fewer meat based meals then things would change. Demanding that the few people who already make those choices aka “people who care about the environment” change everything else about their lives is infuriating.

I don’t celebrate Guy Fawkes night - I’m Irish of Catholic background so it doesn’t gel with me, plus I work in A&E and see terrible burns due to fireworks and bonfires every year. However I have no issue with people going to a well run community or council fireworks display.

I think judging by the amount of package holiday /Thomas Cook, Greta's smugness and my all time favourite - 'cyclists are the worst people on the planet' type threads then I think fireworks are the least of our problems IMHO.

I am just taking the piss out of the level of double standards on this site and the whole world

Do you drive a car, OP? Go on holidays abroad? Are all the products in your home eco friendly? Do you eat meat and dairy?

Nobody is perfect. We all do what we can. I'm certainly not going to begrudge my children a night out watching fireworks.

I agree, it's totally unnecessary. And I would add that anyone who says they 'love animals' won't do it either, because pets, farm animals and wildlife are absolutely terrorised by the noise and light.

It's a complete and moronic waste of time and money.

@MustardScreams

Couldn't have put it better

OP's motivation is baffling, and they are clearly not that bright

What a stupid post. People who care about the environment aren't living lives with no impact at all on the environment. That would be impossible. They're just doing their best to minimise their impact. For some that will involve avoiding fireworks. Others might go to the fireworks but never fly.

Don't be a twat about it.

Actually I agree OP.I know someone who went to the climate protests on a BUS, spewing it's chemicals everywhere. You can't protest unless you walk everywhere. Also, she was wearing clothes, which as we all know waste energy and use chemicals when cleaned. What a hypocrite for not being naked all the time!! She also eats food which she buys and has OBVIOUSLY been transported to the shop! Disgraceful really.

Or, people do what they can and nobody is perfect.

Best ignore the environment then eh OP? Because some people go to fireworks displays.

I don't do Bonfire Night, not least because I have a cat and fireworks will upset him. So your attempt at owning me failed, OP.

Nope. I wish fireworks were illegal or at least only available to licensed events

I think the issue with this "people do what they can" nonsense is that actually it's really, really fucking easy to do without fireworks. They are literally completely pointless. Doing without meat, ditto. So if everyone is 'trying their best' these are like level one basic things that can be done without really making any kind of effort at all.

If millions of people did small things to help the environment, rather than people hammering on that those who care should do everything to help the environment then there would be a much bigger impact.

Exactly this.

@verticality we could also argue that flying abroad for a holiday is pointless. A lot of car use is also pointless. These have a much bigger impact on the environment than a few fireworks once a year.

To be honest, I am sick of being guilt tripped and told I'm not doing enough. I don't own a car. I haven't been on a plane for 15 years. I have cut down massively on my meat consumption. I buy eco products when possible. I rarely buy clothes or anything, in fact, that I don't need. I consider myself to be very frugal and minimalist.

Going to an organised family bonfire night really isn't that bad.