Happy Independence Day weekend to all those who celebrate the semiquincentennial of the greatest and freest nation in history! Americans from coast to coast will fulfill John Adams’ prophecy of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with “pomp and parade … bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.”
In Adams’s day, illuminations meant fireworks, and it’s still a pretty good word to apply in our time as well. Freedom illuminates life from the darkness of tyranny. It takes effort and cost to illumine our world with liberty, but we know that both are well worth the final result.
Well, most of us know that. Politico, on the other hand, wants everyone to know that fireworks produce soot, and soot is bad for the environment. Every party needs a pooper, and that’s why we invited the Protection Racket Media:
Scientists have well documented the soot and heavy metal pollution that can spike severely in the wake of pyrotechnic displays, and the world-record-setting number of fireworks lined up for July 4 will mean an equally large jump in pollution, according to experts and internal NPS documents reviewed by POLITICO.
Ooooo … scientists! Remember what we got the last time we deferred to scientists? Lockdowns, a “wet market” lie to cover up the mad scientists that caused a pandemic, a useless six-foot distancing rule, and – wait for it …
There are no indications that the administration plans to suggest masking or other personal protection for revelers viewing the fireworks from the nation’s front lawn. And the Environmental Protection Agency said tracking the air quality impacts of the fireworks isn’t their jurisdiction. …
But NPS officials have warned internally that the fireworks could cause hazardous levels of pollution around the National Mall. The draft air-quality analysis from May says people should “avoid prolonged exposure” to the fine particulate matter pollution, including by wearing N95 masks “when outdoors.”
Hey, remember the N95 masks? If you got ’em, wear ’em … in the massive heat dome that was last week’s media panic. Should we re-erect the Plexiglass barricades between restaurant booths, too? Will Stephen Colbert show up with dancing syringes? Will we have to exclude anyone attending the festivities from federal employment, too?
This is an utterly absurd observation. The impact of tomorrow’s “large jump in pollution” on attendees would probably pale in comparison to a half-hour on a Los Angeles freeway during rush hour, which as everyone knows is only one-quarter of the average commute. The “jump in pollution” will last about two hours, and the detritus it will leave will likely appear Felix Unger-ish to the levels of garbage left behind at any No Kings rally in DC or anywhere else.
Politico even tried complaining to the EPA, whose spokesperson laughed in its face:
“First off, fireworks are awesome and we hope everyone enjoys the incredible shows in and around our nation’s capital as we celebrate 250 years of America,” EPA spokesperson Mike Bastasch said in an email. “The EPA is not issuing permits for the fireworks for this event.”
After fulminating over the horrifying jump in particulates, perchlorates, and heavy metals, even Politico finally concedes that the impact will dissipate nearly immediately:
The good news is that the dirty air doesn’t linger too long. One study found that particulate matter from July Fourth fireworks remained elevated for about 24 hours across 315 different monitoring sites. On average, the fireworks displays increased pollution by 42 percent. But after a day, fireworks pollution dissipates and usually blows away or settles into water and soil within a day.
In other news, readers have to get to the fourteenth paragraph to see what a lifetime of fireworks shows has already taught them. Soot, smoke, ash, and other particulates come with the celebration. Are we setting off 850,000 fireworks on a daily basis? No, although it’s worth noting that Disneyland and Disney World do launch fireworks on nearly a daily basis, and those shows can stretch out for as long as 18 minutes. Has Politico covered that environmental threat, now ongoing for decades? No? Why not?
We are celebrating the birth of our nation in its capital. Our semiquincentennial is a magical moment of recognition of the enduring republic built on the promise of liberty rather than loyalty to blood, soil, or a potentate. Enjoy the celebration for what it means, and maybe even more for who it annoys.
Editor’s Note: It’s America’s 250th birthday! Help HotAir celebrate the greatest nation in history by honoring its past, defending its present, and preserving its future with reporting you can trust.
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