Sustainable New Year's Eve Celebration Without Fireworks – Reasons, Tips, Cities and Resolutions

How can you actually have a sustainable New Year's Eve without fireworks? If you're looking for a clear answer to this question, you've come to the right place! People have been setting off fireworks at the turn of the year for centuries. "Somehow it's just part of it" is probably the most frequently cited reason.

Fireworks on New Year's Eve are of course an old tradition, but that doesn't make them any less loud, dangerous and polluting. Traditions can of course also be questioned and adapted - and that's exactly what I want to do now.

In this article, I'll show you how to celebrate New Year's Eve as sustainably as possible. You'll learn about the motifs, useful tips, inspiration for dishes and activities, cities without fireworks and ideas for New Year's resolutions so that you can end the year as ecologically as possible. Let's go!

Here you can find a short overview in advance:

1. Reasons
2. Tips
3. Cities without fireworks
4. Resolutions
5. Closing words

8 reasons: Why should you celebrate a sustainable New Year's Eve without fireworks?

Yes, fireworks are a beautiful thing - especially when you can use them to welcome in the New Year. It has been a tradition in Europe since 1379. It is said to drive away evil spirits and connects us humans with each other at the turn of the year.

However, apart from these advantages, this centuries-old tradition also brings with it many disadvantages, which are known as Motivation for a sustainable New Year celebration serve.

In the following, I would like to briefly explain the most important reasons before we move on to the practical tips.

1. garbage in the environment

Fireworks are deliberately shooting garbage into the environment. At the hotspots of the five largest German cities alone, the following waste is generated on New Year's Eve around 200 tons of waste an.¹

Not only the Rockets, firecrackers and their packaging get into nature with all the joy of the turn of the year. The contained Pollutants and toxins are washed out by the rain and ultimately also pose a threat to the environment and wildlife.

2. fine dust in the air

From the first second of the new year, particulate matter pollution in Germany is as high as at any other time of the year. This accelerates the Climate Change and is hazardous to health - especially for asthmatics, children and people with chronic lung disease.

3. accident hazard

In addition to the fine dust pollution, the high accident risk from rockets, firecrackers and other fireworks also speaks in favor of an environmentally friendly New Year's Eve without fireworks. Through Cross-fired rockets and unauthorized firecrackers unfortunately, many people are seriously injured directly or indirectly.

The Life of a human being can change radically from one day to the next.

4. volume

Both Children but especially also Birds, dogs, cats, cows, pigs, chickens and in general also all wild animals are very irritated and frightened by the loud fireworks at the turn of the year.

The Noise is avoidable and a good reason to draw a line under the traditional fireworks display on New Year's Eve, don't you think?

Good to know: Besides the volume, it is also the Light Pollutionwhich not only causes irritation in the animal world on New Year's Eve.

5. cost

On New Year's Eve, we humans literally chase our hard earned and saved money in the form of rockets and firecrackers. Some people spend several thousand euros on them. The money could definitely be put to better use.

In any case, investing in fireworks at the turn of the year is not only a polluting, but also a rather short-lived and expensive pleasure. All the more reason to stop - and proof that you can save money through sustainable behavior can.

6. exploitation

More than 97 percent of the fireworks sold worldwide come from from exploitative factories in China and India.²

There, firecrackers and rockets are produced manually because it is cheaper. In this seasonal business, unskilled workers not only receive low wages, but are also often unable to assess the dangers of their profession. Accordingly, it comes in the fireworks factories, major fires and explosions with fatalities frequently occur..³ Also Child labor is not uncommon in the production facilities.⁴

7. role model function

Blowing up fireworks on New Year's Eve is not particularly exemplary. After all, children also eventually come into the Age at which they are more confident and possibly do crazy things with firecrackers and rockets.. It makes more sense to show them directly that you can celebrate New Year's Eve without fireworks.

8. vandalism and theft

Unfortunately, it often does not remain with the traditional use of fireworks on New Year's Eve. Many people take advantage of the noise and confusion at the turn of the year to Drinking alcohol, blowing off steam, damaging things, breaking into houses or to attack other people. A sustainable New Year's Eve celebration, on the other hand, is a bit quieter and more manageable - and doesn't provide the chaos needed for vandalism.

10 tips: How to celebrate New Year's Eve sustainably?

So there is much more to be said for celebrating New Year's Eve sustainably and without fireworks. In order to Protect your own health, the well-being of all animals and, of course, your own walletyou should simply approach the turn of the year differently this year and in the future.

So far so good. But how can you make New Year's Eve as socially, animal and environmentally friendly as possible in practice? Here are the valuable tips I promised you, which you can also fairly simple to implement without bending completely.

1. refrain from fireworks and firecrackers

Less waste, particulate matter, noise, risk, vandalism, exploitation and costs. Do you need any more arguments? 😉 If you want to celebrate New Year's Eve sustainably, then the first big step You have already contributed to an environmentally friendly New Year by not buying firecrackers, rockets or other fireworks for yourself or others.

You still want to start the new year with a traditional fireworks display? Then you should at least go to public fireworks events and don't also set off rockets privately. If you really want to set off firecrackers, it is also advisable to do it where a lot of fireworks are set off anyway: in the city centerinstead of the quiet village.

Tip: In many cities there are now also really cool Light or laser shows in the sky, making the turn of the year much quieter and more environmentally friendly!

2. cook an environmentally friendly New Year's Eve dinner

What could be nicer than together with family and friends into the new year? Of course, a sustainable New Year's Eve also includes a sustainable feast.

Whether Raclette, fondue, lentil soup, doughnuts or fire tongs punch - all this is also wonderfully organic, vegetable and just sustainable possible!

3. wax casting instead of lead casting

In many places it is traditional to pour lead on New Year's Eve and use it to oracle possible events in the new year. However, the pouring of lead is extremely harmful to health, since heating produces toxic lead oxides that can enter the respiratory tract and impair brain function, among other things.

Meanwhile, sets in the EU may also only have a maximum lead content of 0.3 percent. The Stiftung Warentest recommends but generally to start the new year unleaded.⁵

Fortunately, the resulting wax formations can also be interpreted. You can soften it with a spoon over the candle and then - as usual - pour it into cold water. Use for example homemade Blanks from old candle remnants.

Even though tin is a greener alternative to lead casting, you can also use the Cartography or Coffee set reading wonderfully oracle about their own future and preserve the usual tradition (somewhat adapted).

4. prefer alternative activities

What is New Year's Eve all about? It's about being together with friends and family, having fun, and getting into the new year in a good mood. That also goes without fireworks, noise, garbage and fine dust!

Just look for other activities that fulfill these desires as well. How about for example cooking together or a Wellness, game or movie night? Just do what you feel like. There are no limits to the imagination.

5. use natural, reusable utensils

Avoid single-use plastic on New Year's Eve too and opt for waste-avoiding reusable alternatives instead, for example when choosing cutlery, drinking cups, napkins and other utensils. On the one hand, the atmosphere is then definitely cozy and on the other hand, the food also has a significant elegant.

Tip: How you can basically create a Zero Waste Party You can find out how to get started in the linked blog article.

6. indulge in wine and sparkling wine with natural corks and organic quality.

Of course, you can also toast to a healthy new year together if you celebrate New Year's Eve sustainably! Prefer vegan organic wine and organic sparkling wine, for example, and make sure it's an organic wine. real cork stopper instead of plastic. According to the WWF, by doing so you also specifically counteract the global Species Extinction against.⁶

7. use reusable straws

Of course, one can fundamentally argue about the sense of straws. Because actually, the use of drinking straws is just a (not necessary, human) habit. They do not have an actual benefit and there are many good reasons for doing without plastic straws in particular.

But if you want to sip cocktails through a straw and still celebrate New Year's Eve in the most sustainable way possible, you can rely on a Cornucopia of plastic-free alternatives fall back on. For example there are Bamboo straws (e.g. these*) or easily washable Glass straws. (e.g. these*)

8. buy only as much food as necessary

To make your personal Reduce food wasteFor a sustainable New Year's Eve party, you should only buy as much food as you really need. You yourself can best assess the drinking and eating behavior of your guests and accordingly, optimize your errands for a garbage-free, sustainable New Year.

9. decorate naturally and environmentally friendly

Fir branches, natural paper or raffia ribbon for example, are natural materials and are perfect for your sustainable New Year's Eve decorations.

You can just as well use old Sandwich bags to bang or cut out confetti from foliage for a surprise effect or two. Again, let your imagination run wild - the main thing is that you avoid unnecessary waste.

10. stay relaxed and safe

You always feel totally stressed on New Year's Eve because you want to organize everything perfectly? Take the pressure off and focus on the really important things at the turn of the year: Friends, family and joy. Everything else is basically irrelevant. Apart from that, no one forces you to celebrate the start of the new year at all. Some people just slip in asleep 🙂

Safety and health are of course other important factors! To ensure that we all get through the sustainable New Year celebrations safe and sound, you should always remember the Recommendations of the local fire department hold and among other things...

• close all windows and doors.
• Place balcony plants in a safe place.
• use only tested fireworks with a registration number and the CE mark.
• leave lit but unexploded fireworks.
• Only allow rockets to be launched vertically upwards from suitable open areas.

Cities: Where can you celebrate New Year's Eve without fireworks?

If you not only want to avoid firecrackers and rockets yourself, but ideally don't want to hear any of it, you should celebrate where it is forbidden.

There is a complete ban on fireworks or at least firecracker-free zones, for example in the following German cities:

• Dortmund
• Cologne
• Düsseldorf (entire old town)
• Hanover
• Tübingen (Baden-Wuerttemberg)
• Quedlinburg (Saxony-Anhalt)
• Bremen
• Göttingen
• Celle
• Straubing
• Wolfenbüttel
• Lüneburg
• Nuremberg
• Bamberg
• Islands (Sylt, Hallig Oland, Amrum)
• …

Of course, these are by no means all German cities where you can sustainably celebrate New Year's Eve without fireworks. But the length of the list underlines that many cities see very good reasons, to issue a ban on fireworks.

You know other cities where you can celebrate New Year's Eve relatively quietly? Then feel free to drop me a comment with your note!

Resolutions: What sustainable goals can you set for the new year?

The turn of the year offers a wonderful opportunity to shed environmentally harmful habits and adapt new, sustainable routines and behaviors. Here are some ideaswhich can be implemented relatively quickly:

1. Switch to a green electricity provider (compare here*, takes only 5 minutes)
2. Stop eating meat (and the Veganuary master)
3. Only buy things you really need (see Minimalism)
4. Reduce your own plastic waste by half (see plastic free living)
5. Watch a documentary about factory farming (see vegan documentaries)

At sustainable resolutions I will introduce you to many more goals for the new year. There you will also learn how to stay on track and successfully implement even larger plans. I can also recommend my Book Sustainable living for beginners*that will make your everyday life much easier in an environmentally friendly way.

Celebrate New Year's Eve and the New Year sustainably? No problem!

As you can see there are many good reasons and countless possibilities for celebrating a sustainable turn of the year without fireworks. In any case, avoid the noise that is frightening for children and animals, minimize air pollution in your area and do not produce unnecessary and costly New Year's Eve waste.

Also save people from exploitation and from getting hurt. And find healthier, more environmentally friendly alternatives for your New Year's oracle.

"What we do today will determine what the world looks like tomorrow."

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (more at Environmental protection quotes)

Just be a role model! You can also start the New Year in a sustainable way without too much effort. Do you have any questions, tips or suggestions for a plastic-free, sustainable New Year's Eve? Then I look forward to your comment!

Happy New Year and a happy, healthy, new year,

PS: Have a look around the Environmental protection blog um. There you can now next, for example, the most valuable Tips for a sustainable lifestyle pick up

1. S. Luig: Fireworks on New Year's Eve, available at https://www.vku.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/feuerwerk-zu-silvester-rund-200-tonnen-silvesterabfall-faellt-am-neujahrstag-allein-an-den-hotspots-der-fuenf-groessten-staedte-an. [22.12.2023]. ↩︎
2. M. Schwarzer: Ausgeböllert - New Year's Eve fireworks should be abolished (as of 23.10.2019), available at https://www.rnd.de/panorama/ausgebollert-das-silvesterfeuerwerk-gehort-abgeschafft-HYNZ5QPL4JD6LGC4FVAYVZDOD4.html. [22.12.2023]. ↩︎
3. ntv Nachrichtenfernsehen GmbH: Explosion in fireworks factory kills eleven Chinese workers (02.11.2013), available at https://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Elf-chinesische-Arbeiter-sterben-article11654066.html. [22.12.2023]. ↩︎
4. taz Verlags u. Vertriebs GmbH: Kinderarbeit und tödliche Unfälle : Wunderkerzen aus kleinen Händen (as of 31.12.2011), available at https://taz.de/Kinderarbeit-und-toedliche-Unfaelle/!5104244. [22.12.2023]. ↩︎
5. Stiftung Warentest: Lead casting - Better lead-free into the New Year (as of 01.12.2021), available at https://www.test.de/Bleigiessen-Besser-bleifrei-ins-Neue-Jahr-4484000-0. [22.12.2023]. ↩︎
6. WWF Germany: How to celebrate New Year's Eve in harmony with the environment and nature (as of 19.12.2022), available at https://www.wwf.de/aktiv-werden/tipps-fuer-den-alltag/so-feiern-sie-silvester-im-einklang-mit-umwelt-und-natur. [22.12.2023]. ↩︎