27 replies to this topic

[Shortpoet-GTD]

"Every year, more than 1 ton of confetti is dropped in New York City’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve, according to the Times Square District Management Association."
http://earth911.com/...s-eve-confetti/

Really? Still? This is ridiculous. How many trees are cut down so people can litter the
streets?
ARGH!


Celebrate the new year in a green way.
http://www.greenlivi...e-party-5-tips/

[still learning]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 30 December 2011 - 05:12 AM, said:

Really? Still? This is ridiculous.

I can recall seeing people dumping confetti-like stuff on New Years eve out upper floor windows in San Francisco's financial district. Ended up ankle deep in places.
Not purchased confetti though.
Was a little tickertape, quite a bit of used paper tape (the teletype kind), used punch cards and lots of used desk calendars.
Those things aren't used anymore. Desk calendars some still, I guess.
Commercial building upper floor windows don't open anymore anyway.

Dating myself here...

[Shortpoet-GTD]

These are "post-it" notes that people write their goodbyes on-
that last 10 pounds, their old boyfriend, etc.
but it's wasteful and stupid, no matter what the original source was.

(And you're dating yourself? Ha! I was around when paper was invented.)

[artistry]

Thanks for my laugh out loud moment of the morning. Still Learning, the wisdom of all ages is needed to carry us through. Great green tips for celebrating. Nice of you to share, Shortpoet. The one good thing about the confetti dropping, is the cleaning up part, which has people working and hopefully getting paid. Happy New Year. Cheers.

[JBMedia]

I would have to agree with you. That paper could easily be re-used for better purposes rather than just dropping it all on the ground in an astronomical amount just to later be cleaned up again by more people. That causes pollution in the sewage systems in New York I bet as well.

[zararina]

Cleaning those confetti might require more workers so it could create more jobs even a short moment. (just thinking what positive could people got by that). Lol
Better not to have confetti anymore since it will just wasting resources and could really block some water way or be scattered on the sea brought by the wind or whatever it would bring it there.

Anyways, Happy New Year to Everyone!

[mariaandrea]

I don't know. I'd be sad to see the tradition go. I'm fine with paper confetti. Use recycled paper. Recycle paper to use as confetti. Hire people to clean it up. This economy needs even short-term jobs to keep people from being hungry and homeless. Recycle the paper the workers clean up.

What I hate is mylar confetti. The shiny, glittery, plastic stuff. While it can be recycled, most places don't accept it for recycling. It's just another example of a useful material being overused for unnecessary over-consumption.

[Alli]

I'm not sure which is worse- the confetti or the severe air pollution from massive fireworks displays. Actually, the fireworks displays in the US tend to be small enough not to make so much of an impact- but in many cities in Asia, the Chinese New Year fireworks leave the air literally brown the next day. Yuck!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Part of New Yorks New Year's celebration is releasing thousands of balloons too. And we know they
end up in the waterways, choking birds and fish.

And you're right, Alli about fireworks too. I hadn't considered the air pollution from them.

Perhaps an (American made) l.e.d. light display would be the most environmentally friendly.

[Pushhyarag2000]

You could at least clear the confetti & recycle and in the process provide some temporary occupation to deserving people but how any one would negate the disaster that is the trail from fireworks is hard to fathom. Fireworks tend to be massive and they could release highly toxic fumes all over. Why wouldn't people just sing, dance, greet and do such people-to-people acts of rejoicing?

[jasserEnv]

I think the worst part overall has to be the travel to all these destinations just to spend New Year's there. I know of many people who do a very short trip just to say that they were at a specific location. I do enjoy traveling myself but these sorts of 3 and 4 day trips where so much waste comes from the travel costs are simply absurd. I think that more of the fuel taxes should be directed at these sorts of trips.

[mariaandrea]

I hadn't thought about the pollution from fireworks. An alternative could be a laser and music show. Not as spectacular - and I sure would miss fireworks - but I guess it might be better than huge shows. We have a large one here tonight - just waiting for it now - that sets of from the top and sides of the Space Needle. Truly spectacular, but lots and lots of smoke during and after the show.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

This has happened so many times in recent months, but I have to wonder-why?
We've been shooting off fireworks for decades. Why are birds supposedly falling to their deaths from fireworks?

We've had the news for awhile now. We've had the net for awhile now. It just seems weird that "all of a sudden"
we're hearing report after report on this in recent months.

I don't want to derail this topic, but I'm not entirely convinced it's the result of fireworks.
I also wonder why it's in Arkansas.
Why not New York, or Vegas where they have bigger fireworks displays. I know there are more trees
in Arkansas for them to roost in, but New York state has forested areas too.
What do you think?


"Thousands of dead blackbirds rained down on a town in central Arkansas last New Year's Eve after revelers set off fireworks
that spooked them from their roost,
and officials were reporting a similar occurrence Saturday as 2012 approached.

Police in Beebe said dozens of blackbirds had fallen dead, prompting officers to ban residents from shooting fireworks
Saturday night. It wasn't immediately clear if fireworks were again to blame, but authorities weren't taking a chance."

http://www.huffingto...kusaolp00000003

[jasserEnv]

I wonder whether it is an increased prevalence in the use of fireworks by more people or whether it could be related to changed in the ingredients of the fireworks. Different chemicals could be changing the toxicity of the burnt material. One other option is that the birds are already stressed from regular air pollution problems and have an inflamed respiratory system much like people get when exposed to air pollution. This could then lead to acute respiratory issues like an asthma attack. In any case it is very disconcerting to see this both for the sake of the birds and as the 'canary in the coal mine' for human health.

[MakingCents]

What happens to the confetti once it falls? I know they gather it up and 'throw it away' but is any of it actually recyled? I don't have a huge problem with paper confetti- IF it's used paper already that is turned into confetti. Paper is biodegradable so it won't ruin the earth, and if they recycle any of it at least that's something.

[gangandealer]

I know it is bad for the trees and all, but at least there will be more compost on the streets. But I do agree with your opinion, it has got to stop!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

jasserEnv, on 01 January 2012 - 11:45 AM, said:

I wonder whether it is an increased prevalence in the use of fireworks by more people or whether it could be related to changed in the ingredients of the fireworks. Different chemicals could be changing the toxicity of the burnt material. One other option is that the birds are already stressed from regular air pollution problems and have an inflamed respiratory system much like people get when exposed to air pollution. This could then lead to acute respiratory issues like an asthma attack. In any case it is very disconcerting to see this both for the sake of the birds and as the 'canary in the coal mine' for human health.

Actually, that's a very reasonable explanation.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

MakingCents, on 01 January 2012 - 02:13 PM, said:

What happens to the confetti once it falls? I know they gather it up and 'throw it away' but is any of it actually recycled? I don't have a huge problem with paper confetti- IF it's used paper already that is turned into confetti. Paper is biodegradable so it won't ruin the earth, and if they recycle any of it at least that's something.

I seriously doubt any of it is recycled. It gets trampled on, drinks are spilled on it, dirty boots, urine too probably?
Maybe some hard core greener is out there sweeping it up to recycle it, but ???? it's doubtful.
It's landfill bound.

[jasserEnv]

As much as we would like to think that lots of paper gets recycled, if it is contaminated with much of anything, it doesn't. Even paper that does get recycled only gets reprocesses so many times before it cannot be recycled anymore - the fibers just become too short. In terms of overall paper usage however, I don't think that this is such a huge waste in comparison to the many other ways in which paper gets used for a very short time before being discarded. Think of every fast food place as an example.

[msterees]

I think it's fine to use recycled paper for confetti and then try to recycle as much as possible once it's cleaned up. Maybe it would be best to confine it to a smaller area so it's easier to clean up and doesn't get into the sewer lines as much. I don't think the paper is the worst thing workers have to clean up the day after New Year's. There is probably tons of trash lying around on the streets and most of it probably doesn't get recycled.