Will Honolulu Ring in 2018 With Silent Fireworks?

PETA Urges New Year’s Eve Celebration to Swap Upsetting, Ear-Splitting Fireworks for Dazzling Noiseless Displays

For Immediate Release:
September 6, 2017

Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382

Honolulu is consistently ranked among the top New Year’s Eve destinations in the country—and PETA is asking the city to close out 2017 with a silent bang. In a letter sent this morning to the organizers of the Bud Light Party of the Year at Aloha Tower Marketplace, PETA asks that the festivities feature silent fireworks, light- and video-based shows, holographic laser mapping, or other high-tech, color-rich displays.

“Rich in color and choreography, silent fireworks deliver all the flash without the fright,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is urging Honolulu to start 2018 with a stunning silent display that appeals to everyone, including wildlife, companion animals, and other vulnerable island residents.”

In its letter, PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that animal shelters see a spike in the number of lost dogs following loud fireworks displays and that the noise can also scare wild animals onto roads, where they’re likely to be injured or killed by vehicles. And the stress isn’t limited to animals: Veterans and others suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder can find the noise of the explosives disturbing.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA’s letter to John Gotanda, J.D., president of Hawaii Pacific University—which owns Aloha Tower Marketplace—follows.

September 6, 2017

John Gotanda, J.D.

President

Hawaii Pacific University

Dear Mr. Gotanda,

I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and our more than 6.5 million members and supporters worldwide, including thousands across Hawaii, with a proposal that I hope will spark your interest: Use only silent fireworks at the New Year’s Eve “Party of the Year” at Aloha Tower Marketplace in order to create a stress-free environment for Honolulu’s humans and animals, or opt instead for holographic laser imaging or video-based shows.

Silent fireworks and laser shows offer a stress-free celebration for noise-sensitive animals, children, veterans, and elderly people. During traditional fireworks displays, dogs frantically panic as they try to escape from the loud noise and have been known to jump through glass windows or over fences and end up lost, seriously hurt, or being killed. Loud fireworks displays can also scare wildlife onto roads, where they risk being hit or killed in traffic. The stress caused by these displays is not limited to animals: Veterans and others suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are sensitive to and can be deeply disturbed by the noise of the explosives.

Silent fireworks are richer in color effects and visual choreography than conventional fireworks and provide all the fanfare and celebration without any of the frightening noise. This New Year’s, you might also consider exploring cutting-edge light- and video-based shows, drones, and holographic laser mapping. When paired with programmed music, these forms of visual artistry are just as exciting as traditional fireworks, are safer, and produce virtually no pollution. In fact, accomplished VJ Vello Virkhaus was quoted in the LA Weekly as saying, “Some type of dimensional, spatial lighting, a laser- and video-based show, could be just as immersive as fireworks and not as destructive—while producing less waste. …We don’t need to blow things up to celebrate.”

Exclusively silent fireworks displays have been implemented in several cities in Europe and, most recently, in Costa Mesa, California, at the behest of PETA. By allowing only silent fireworks or laser- and video-based shows, you’d deliver all the traditional New Year’s revelry without the frightening noise, while improving the quality of life for all living beings around Honolulu. We look forward to hearing from you. Please contact me at 323-210-2222 or [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President