How Fire Works

Harnessing a volatile power such as fire is dangerous and difficult. Controlling a reaction such as an explosion requires skill and years of research. Creating a beautiful nighttime spectacle for hundreds and thousands of spectators involves months of planning and the cooperation of dozens of people. Fourth of July firework shows may only last half an hour, but without the proper amount of care and respect, one second of negligence or inattention when handling fireworks can easily become days’ worth of fire fighting.
Wildfires are not the only things a person should worry about while enjoying fireworks. A mishandled firecracker can do some serious damage to a person’s body. I remember standing in a train station in Rome the day after New Year’s listening to a news report that was thankfully in English. The announcer declared that a man had died from a firework that had hit him in the abdomen. Besides the one death, there were hundreds of other people that suffered various injuries due to the lack of respect for fireworks.
Firework safety can save lives and forests. Never aim a firework at another person, especially the newly legal “cake” fireworks that shoot small balls of fire into the air. Steer clear of lighting a firework anywhere near trees or bushes, no matter how green they are. Be sure to have a bucket of water or hose handy, just in case something does go awry. Even the most seemingly harmless fireworks – sparklers, for example – can burn a person’s skin within seconds of contact. Simply put, practice good Scouting: be prepared and make sure to use the buddy system when lighting fireworks.
There is one type of firework that I would like to bring attention to. It is most insidious and deplorable. Surprisingly, it is still legal in Utah. It has been a long time since I came in contact with this firework, but the very thought of it sends waves of complex emotions coursing through my whole body. I recall the first time I saw it in action: my friend bent down and lit something small and black on the sidewalk. Within mere moments, a fiery snake began slithering from the sidewalk, as if a portal to hell had suddenly opened up in the middle of my neighborhood. Good grief, it was disappointing!
Despite the fire snake’s mediocrity, it too poses a fire risk. Anything ranging from dully glowing to full on blazing should be considered equally dangerous. The best exercise you can engage in to practice firework safety is to ponder how much work has gone into creating the powerful, explosive, spectacular form of amusement that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own yard.
Also think about how fireworks are meant to simulate rockets during wartime. Rockets are designed to kill things. Respect fireworks. Though not as lethal as rockets, they can quickly change a cheerful moment into a tragic one. Happy Fourth of July and take care to avoid lighting yourself or anything else on fire!

BBQ Blues

What a soggy Father’s Day! Luckily for me and my family, we had a get-together on Saturday and grilled up some chicken while the weather was still fairly nice. I would have liked if the sky had been clear on Sunday, too, especially since I have a bunch of grillable meats hanging out in my freezer. I typically don’t have a problem with BBQing in inclement weather, but when the rain falls all day, it’s hard to get excited about grilling.
The success of a BBQ is closely tied to the niceness of the weather. It is nigh impossible to have a BBQ indoors, mostly because of the carbon monoxide danger that it would pose. Sure, you can BBQ outside and eat inside, but that’s like celebrating the 4th of July without any fireworks. The point of grilling is to get people out of their houses and into their backyards where there is hopefully a croquet game waiting to be played. (I played croquet once indoors, but croquet was designed to be enjoyed outside, just like BBQs.)
In May I tried to appeal to the weather gods by BBQing as often as I could despite the cloud cover and strong winds. Sometimes I even left an uneaten sausage or two on the grill as an offering, and still nothing. Perhaps I should have left something more substantial, such as a medium rare T-bone steak, slathered in A1 sauce. I fear I screwed it all up for everyone this year with my substandard sacrifices. Or maybe more people need to leave grilled goods behind so the weather gods know we’re all serious about our desire to enjoy BBQs while the sun shines and a cool breeze blows. If we can prove our devotion to BBQs, the gods of weather just may grant us an extra long summer – one that extends into October or so.
I have tried many things so that I can grill in relative comfort while it’s raining. I have a beach umbrella that I used to set up over the grill in order to shield the grill and me from becoming soaked. Now the umbrella is useless, because it is full of holes that the grill melted into it. Had the umbrella been a few feet higher, it would have worked perfectly. I’ve been seriously considering investing in an awning to cover my patio. An awning would be great, not only because I could grill at anytime, but because I could sit outside and enjoy the food too. Plus, it would provide additional protection against the nasty birds that perch in the trees above my BBQ.
If you’re as ready as I am to BBQ every night of the week, make sure to leave an appropriate offering on your grill to appease the weather gods, much like children leave cookies and milk for Santa. Even after all of our pleading and hoping, though, the fact is that we are still unable to control the rain and wind. But we can take steps to protect ourselves and our grills from the elements. I truly hope against hope that this summer makes up for the wet spring and we can avoid needing to build elaborate shelters in order to grill properly. May nothing stand in our way of enjoying BBQs, backyards and croquet!

Becoming One

In a world full of metal, concrete and fast-food, I am a huge proponent of keeping in touch with the natural world. Technology, which is useful most of the time, can suck us into a realm devoid of organic experiences that could normally clear our minds and open our senses. If used skillfully, though, technology can take us closer into nature than we ever imagined. Consider Google’s Sky Map: Boy Scouts aren’t the only ones now who can name or identify stars and constellations. Think about vehicles: a 50-mile drive to your favorite camping spot can take less than an hour. And don’t forget the power of customer reviews on the Internet: find out just how difficult that trail is before you find yourself hanging onto a ledge in the middle of nowhere. The fusion of nature and technology can provide a plethora of wonderful experiences in a world full of wonder.
I am a person who simply desires to be at peace with everything around me. If I find myself becoming consumed by a video game or other diversion, sometimes the only things that help are a walk in the rain or a quick hike to catch a sunset. The only problem is I am enjoying the one at the expense of the other. I don’t want to become a curmudgeon who complains about how robots are taking over the world, but I also don’t want to become an asocial geek who only cares about the newest computer program.
There was once a man by the name of Henry David Thoreau who turned his back on civilization in order to test his ability to survive in nature. Though not completely shut off from all contact with other humans, he was relatively alone and he learned a lot about himself and life while he observed nature and enjoyed the silence. In a way, he became one with his surroundings and he experienced a peace that few even know about.
I’ve thought a lot about doing something similar. I would start by gathering up all the tools I would need to build myself a crude cabin. (Remember – I don’t want to completely forsake the boons that technology affords.) Hopefully there is some sort of generator out there that is solar-powered, because I plan on taking my laptop so I can continue writing this column (and play a game every once in a while). Then I’d need a ride up into the mountains, because right now I’m vehicle-less. Maybe my brother would drop me off somewhere in the middle of the Uintahs. I’d pay for gas. Once I settle in and get used to living all by myself in the midst of all that nature, I’d probably think a lot. In order to stave off the extreme boredom that might plague me from time to time, I could take hikes and keep a book in which I write and draw my observations, like Henry. Unlike Henry, though, I want to truly become one with nature. He returned after two years of solitude. I plan on letting a bear eat me. Or lying so long in one place that the vegetation overruns my body. Or hiking to the top of a mountain peak and waiting for lightning to strike me and, with any luck, magically transport me to a different plane of existence. That’s how I imagine my “becoming one” experiment playing out.
Until I actually go through with my plans, I’ll be happy using my GPS device to help me keep from getting lost. There are so many ways to use technology so that we don’t have to be eaten by a bear to feel close to nature. Download an app or search the Internet for programs that will give you a more rewarding experience the next time you decide to brave the wilds. Fuse the worlds of nature and technology and become one with everything around you.

Light Pollution

Have you ever gazed up at the night sky and were able to count the stars in the sky without a hitch? If so, you are probably suffering from a bad case of light pollution. Light pollution is not a reference to the gas that is emitted from your vehicle, rather a reference to the washing-out effect that man-made light has on the starscape. The phrase “counting all the stars in the sky” (much like “counting all the sand on the beach”) should suggest an impossible task, but city lights have made it relatively easy to do so. Light pollution is the number one cause of lack of a sense of wonder in 8 out of 10 children. 70% of 13-year-olds and 99% of Alzheimer’s patients can’t identify the Big Dipper, the most recognizable constellation in our night sky. As alarming as these statistics may sound, there is still hope. Light pollution can be overcome and managed so that a child’s, and even an adult’s, sense of wonder can once again bloom and astound.
I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve seen a dark sky that was literally teeming with so many stars that I couldn’t begin to count them. All those times were during camping trips. I can remember thinking, “Wow! I wish I could have this view every night!” It was amazing to realize how many stars actually inhabit the heavens. I couldn’t figure out why the sky during those camping trips looked so different than the sky at home, or even the sky while on other campouts. Then I began to notice the glow emanating from the areas where the larger cities were, especially if I was camping anywhere near the Salt Lake Valley. And even though my parental home was in the middle of nowhere at the time, the city lights still affected my view of the stars and washed out most of them.
There are a few bastions of unpolluted night sky that still exist in this world. These havens are known as International Dark-Sky Parks. The very first location to be awarded this distinction exists right here in our own backyard. Natural Bridges National Monument in the southeast part of Utah is known for its natural daytime beauty as well as its spectacular starry skies. Roughly 45 miles due west of Blanding, Natural Bridges is an easy weekend getaway. Chances of clear skies are usually excellent for catching the most breath-taking night views you will ever experience. The park’s lighting is all designed to cut down on light pollution, and besides making the park night-friendly, the lighting scheme also cuts down on operational expenses and creates a better environment for nocturnal animals.
Natural Bridges illustrates how feasible it is to reduce light pollution so that we can enjoy the natural wonders of the sky at night. You can create your own bastion of darkness at home by decreasing the wattage of outside lighting and creating shields so that light does not extend farther than it needs to. We will never be able to completely cut out all of the light pollution, especially as our communities grow larger and safety concerns increase, but we can encourage our neighborhoods to cut down on unnecessary light pollution. Not only does light pollution reduction save us money, but it can also afford better stargazing opportunities in our own backyards.