The holiday season always brings with it plenty of people ready to light off fireworks in celebration, sometimes causing harm to themselves or others. That’s why Peru’s Environment Ministry says it has created a rocket-shaped device that actually holds seeds for planting instead of powder.
Earlier this week, Minister of the Environment Fabiola Muñoz presented the items in front of a group of schoolchildren at the Bartolomé Herrera School. She demonstrated how the gardening kits that look like fireworks and all containing different types of seeds, can be used to plant flowers in gardens at home or at school. Instead of promoting something potentially destructive, the seeds can be used as a safe sort of game among kids.
“The idea is that we are cultivating life and learning to know what type of seed is included in each one of these ecological rockets,” Muñoz said. “It can be a pitaya seed, or sambucus, anis, rosemary or some legumes. They can compete among family and friends to see who has the most exotic seed and what they can learn about gardening.”
In addition, the rocket cases can be left on the ground and are biodegradable so they don’t contaminate the ground. The 10-centimeter-long cases are white and red, and they have a black cord that can be taken out and then the seeds can be dumped out into a garden.
Above all, Muñoz emphasized that its a much better alternative for neighborhoods over loud and disruptive fireworks.
“We have to put ourselves in other peoples’ places,” Muñoz said. “A lot of people, especially babies, senior citizens, people with Down syndrome, those with autism, and even pets suffer from the loud noises made by fireworks.”