Netherland's and Their Obsession with Christmas and New Years Fireworks (Vuurwerk)

 Netherland's and Their Obsession with Christmas and New Years Fireworks (Vuurwerk)

I am, each year, amazed with the amount of fireworks that are set off in the weeks leading up to Christmas, Christmas, and the weeks between the Christmas weeks and New Years, and New Years Eve is just totally extreme here.  One must realize where I am, there are houses similar in build to the 2-3 story family style condos that house one family in the US, but where there are 3 or more under the same roof side by side and connected.  Unlike the US however, these houses have block walls between and no insulation, very uneconomical heating wise, and noise wise.  Also, the autos are mostly parked on the street, and most streets in these areas are one way streets.  Fortunately I at least do not live on a one way street, so the distance from the houses across are greater because of the 2 sides parking of autos and the lane for traffic.  What is disturbing is that people set off fireworks with all the autos sitting on the street.  For those of you that know me from the US, you know my worst nightmare came true when on NYE night I look out of my bedroom window to see my friend's house down the street totally engulfed in flames, they were out of town, but their beautiful dog was home.  The culprit, children's fireworks, not the gigantic fireworks, but those little fireworks that spin and shoot off sparks.  According to the experts on the scene one had apparently gotten into the open car garage and the sparks had caused the start of the fire.  To say I felt helpless is beyond comprehension, and although I begged the fire brigade to allow me to open the back door in hopes the dog was laying there, they would not allow that due to a fear of back draft.  I could only watch helplessly as they attempted to contain the fire.  

People here have no sense of impending doom, they have no realization of how deadly fireworks can be, or how one can be maimed beyond comprehension until they actually see someone they love having encountered one or the other.  I can talk until the cows come home to the people in this area, but their desire to SHOW OFF AGAINST THEIR NEIGHBORS is more important.  It's a dual between houses here to compete.  The sadder thing, is that these people do not have an income that is high enough to afford them real luxuries on a regular basis, some never.  Thus, they spend all this money (Millions here each year), to show off and then their families have to sacrifice food wise, clothing wise, etc. because of these poor choices.  

Now imagine this, this small country which one can travel 6 hours from top to bottom of, is one of the most stringent and expensive with regards to recycling, air quality, use of gas, petroleum, etc.  The thing now is to reduce the number of cows because their "gas output" is bad for the environment.  I submit that if they stopped the fireworks totally by consumers and offered only the option of cities holding firework events, we would not be breathing the smoke and fumes from the fireworks.  This year a street two streets away from me, one literally had to drive on the sidewalk because of the debris after 12 that night was higher than the opening for the door on the car, and quite dangerous to drive over considering these are battery operated fireworks shooting large balls and if a battery stopped and one rides over, the danger of these exploding and setting a car on fire is quite high.  The debris was still there the following day, piles of debris.  So many streets were full of debris, and all of the debris has to be picked up, supposedly recycled.  So therein lies another problem, thousands of battery operated fireworks that the batteries have to be disposed of, but most likely they go in the normal trash and thus more dangerous for the environment.  So WHY ARE PEOPLE HERE PAYING ENORMOUS TAXES AND GOING TO EXTREME MEASURES to "save the planet", but yet in four weeks they destroy more of the environment than ten million cows.  Ten million cows would not form the vast amount of smoke that literally makes it so you can not see where you are going for 24 hours, destroys the air quality, and is an environmental nightmare with the debris that is not recycled.  

Where oh where is the government in all of this?  Supposedly too few police and help to contain it.  
That's a total cop out!  When their handhaver's have time to go around collecting trash cans that have stood overnight on the street, they could, use those to actually stop the fireworks.  It's actually quite easy to stop, no import or export of fireworks except to the City, asking surrounding countries to ask for ID to purchase in surrounding countries and not allow Netherland's citizen's to purchase, and the City has access to thousands of cameras, they can see who is setting off fireworks.  

The answer to this is:  Legislation Banning all Fireworks, smoke makers, or Loud Noise Makers (including children's fireworks), in any space that has houses, on or near any streets.   Legislation that allows on the City to purchase fireworks for a public display put on by the city.  This legislation can not be bypassed by renaming articles that produce smoke, fireworks, Noise Makers etc.   I am sure some sneaky company will try to rebrand fireworks or noise makers or smokers or M80s etc. to some other name, but legislation needs to forbid any type of these fireworks and associated Loud Noise "bombs".  This needs to be a Netherland's wide legislation and the government needs to instill a ruling that anyone that disobeys these rules is required to pay $20,000 per each one that is set off, and in the event they can not pay, their personal assets will be utilized to pay for these events.  

THIS IS SERIOUS, this year at least one child was maimed here, hand amputated and an eye because of fireworks on New Years Eve.  I am sure there are many more cases that went unreported by the media, and many that were not melded on at the police department or hospital.  Who knows how many children were injured and NOT taken to the hospital for fear of repercussions.  Do you also know who else is damaged and injured by these?  Animals, Dogs scared for hours at a time, dogs that can not even go outside to the bathroom because of all the noise, smoke and danger of being hit by a flying burning element or debris from.  Think of all the poor birds and small animals that are damaged when they become too tired to go further.  This is just total nonsense.  

So, in the new year I am going to find out how to properly request legislation, and gather as much support from people here on a petition, and I hope the news media will be onboard with helping.  

This not only traumatizes those that I named above, but people with anxiety and mental disorders become overwhelmed and have seizures and many other complications from the hours and hours of being distressed with the constant shooting off of these noise makers and fireworks.  IT IS INHUMANE!!!!!