Happy Independence Day!
Happy Fourth of July, folks! Celebrate by exercising your rights to freely assemble and to speak your mind.
Remember if you're tempted by sales over the long weekend not to buy a lot of stuff. Resist the urge to stimulate the economy with unnecessary things, as we discussed in this post about The Story of Stuff.
And if you are in or around fireworks during those assemblies, take these firework safety tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission to heart.
And don't use Screech and Scream Fountain Fireworks, because the CPSC recalled them yesterday!
Now, about those tips:
1. Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
2. Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them. Here's a list of state fireworks laws.
3. Avoid buying fireworks that come in brown paper packaging, as this can often be a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and could pose a danger to consumers.
4. Adults should always supervise fireworks activities. Parents often don’t realize that there are many injuries from sparklers to children under five. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
5. Never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move back a safe distance immediately after lighting.
6. Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully functioned.
7. Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
8. Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
9. Light one item at a time, then move back quickly.
10. Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
11. After fireworks fully complete their functioning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding to prevent a trash fire.
(photo: Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)
A native of Vietnam, 