phoenix – for some metro phoenix residents, the steady drumbeat of fourth of july fireworks were replaced with the high-pitched whine of electric motors as hundreds of drones took to the sky.

for the second fourth in a row, carefree sponsored a swarm of drones bearing led lights in lieu of a more traditional fireworks display. the display was at civana, which is a spa and resort in carefree.

there are several reasons to rely on drones, not the least of which is the risk of fire.

“we wouldn’t be able to do fireworks up in the dry desert like it is now,” mayor les peterson said. “we’re in the throes of year 20 of what could be a 30- to 50-year drought. so there’s no prospect, literally, of us being able to utilize fireworks in the foreseeable future.”

but that’s not the only local consideration driving interest in drone shows.

“up in (the) carefree, cave creek, north scottsdale area, a lot of people have horses, dogs, et cetera, and fireworks scares a lot of the animals,” peterson said. “we’ll have people call us and say, ‘our horses broke out, they were so spooked by fireworks.’

“another one is veterans. we’ve had veterans groups call us and say, ‘for someone with ptsd who’s been in a battlefield situation, the fireworks brings back all kinds of memories.’”

although the drone show is more expensive that traditional pyrotechnics, the mayor said, “they are immensely safer, and both easier on the environment and easier on animals.”

firefly drone shows of detroit put on civana’s fourth of july show. ryan sigmon, the company’s co-founder, said drone shows are the future, but not just because they can go where fireworks can’t. drone displays are more customizable than fireworks, he said.

“a lot of our clients love to do different formations or designs that fit their brand or their story that they’re trying to tell in the sky,” sigmon said. “it’s tough to compare it directly to fireworks because it’s such a different experience.”

the cost of a drone show depends on the production’s size, which can vary from 100 to 300 drones. sigmon wouldn’t give an exact cost but he said the price increases based on the level of customization.

“when we launched the company, our goal was never to revolutionize fireworks or compete against fireworks,” he said. “we definitely saw that there were some environmental aspects to what we did that were a bonus, especially where it comes to places like arizona.”

sigmon said the drone shows are a new form of media, “a new form of nighttime entertainment that has so much creative freedom… that really inspired us and motivated us to work towards this dream.”

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republished with permission. see the original piece at cronkite news. for more stories from cronkite news, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org. follow them on twitter.

after all, what’s better than giving or receiving gifts that help us reduce our ecological impact? check out this roundup of tested and useful products that are perfect for anyone (yourself included)!

1. stasher bags

prices range from $9.99-$19.99

these reusable silicone bags are incredible: not only are they self-sealing and air-tight, but you can put them in the microwave, dishwasher, and/or the freezer. they’re perfect for packing sandwiches and snacks on the go, for organizing odds’n’ends, and have innumerable cooking and food storage uses. available in both sandwich size and snack size, and a variety of fun colors and patterns, stasher bags are one of the most useful, practical, and durable reusable bags on the market, and make for a wonderful gift your friends and family will use time and time again.

2. ecocrock compost bin:

$39.99

​perfect for the home chef or gardener in your life! food scraps make up a significant amount of waste in the united states, but this chic, in-kitchen compost bin can help your friends and family make composting easy. this compost bin offers a sleek and practical design, including two filters, and a charcoal filter to eliminate odor.

​3. senhai reusable utensils

$10.99

these utensils are perfect for reducing plastic utensil use on the go! a fork, knife, spoon, and set of chopsticks is tucked inside a zipper-seal pouch, which ensures utensils stay clean. the utensils are stainless steel and rustproof, and make a perfect stocking stuffer.

4. play animal beds and toys

prices range from about $6-189

perfect for your four-legged friend, or your favorite pet-lover! play is a gold certified green business that makes durable pet beds and toys from 100% recycled materials. they offer customizable dog beds made from plastic bottles, as well as an array of adorable dog and cat toys.

5. bee’s wrap reusable food wrap

prices range from $6-$19.

this plastic wrap alternative is perfect for wrapping up leftovers, cheese, produce, bread, or to cover bowls to keep things fresh for extended periods of time. made from bee’s wax, bee’s wrap is washable, reusable, compostable, and adorable!

6. yeti tumblers

price range from $19.99-$129.99.

yeti makes durable, vacuum-sealed water bottles and tumblers, perfect for keeping beverages hot or cold for extended periods of time. whether you’re shopping for a student, a working friend, or an adventure-seeker, reusable water bottles and tumblrs help reduce waste from people always on the go.

7. green toys

prices range from $5.99-$49.99.

green toys makes adorable plastic and dough toys for the young ones on your list. made in california from 100% recycled materials (mostly plastic milk jugs), green toys is trying to do toys differently, in a sustainable way.

8. reuseable bag, scarf, or newspaper instead of wrapping paper

free.

rather than purchase gift wrap this year, consider using newspaper or gifting your bag in a reuseable tote, which are available at many grocery and mega-stores like target. you can also wrap your gift with a scarf in furoshiki style, a traditional japanese way of wrapping gifts. not only will this save money and reduce waste, it’ll be an extra bonus to your gift.

the union of concerned scientists have a 2008 report (pdf) that details the greenest way to travel, depending on whether you’re flying solo, traveling as a couple or in a small group. even with technological advancements, their findings hold true, according to the 2015 u.s. transportation energy data energy book, which includes data up to year 2013.

so should you fly, drive or ride?

the answer, perhaps surprisingly, is to hop on a bus — specifically a city-to-city bus. the american bus association’s motorcoach census for 2013 found that though the average mileage for a bus is just 6.1 mpg, an industry average of 39.3 passengers per trip resulted in 222.7 mpg per passenger. this is the best option for the environment — regardless of distance and whether you’re traveling alone or not.

if you’re traveling between 100 and 500 miles, the second best option is to hop on a train, with 56.18 mpg per passenger. the third best choice (for a single person) is to fly economy. the average mileage for a plane per gallon per seat is between 50 and 64 miles depending on distance traveled and whether it is a non-stop flight. if you can, try to find a plane that seats all economy as these have the lowest carbon footprint.

cars can be quite environmentally friendly as long as the car is filled to capacity and fuel efficient. if you are comfortable traveling with strangers, then a service like rideshare may be the one for you.

if you still feel like you need to drive yourself home for the holidays, here are a few practical tips from earth share:

1. keep your speed around 50 mph: speeds far above or below this number result in fewer miles per gallon.

2. don’t travel during peak hours: traffic is bound to be problematic — for your stress level and for your gas tank. being stuck in traffic is one of the best ways to burn through gas at a quicker rate.

3. pack light: traveling with less weight in any vehicle (plane, train, bus, car, etc. …) will conserve energy because the machine will not have to work as hard to lug all your stuff at high speeds. take only the essentials and you will find that your travels will be more efficient all around.

(image at top: plane by urvile86; bus and train by adam e. moreira; highway by minesweeper. / creative commons)

every year, starting in november, many americans start to get excited about the upcoming holiday season.  in a season that involves family, football, and food, there are many things to look forward to.  however, one of the most popular holiday traditions is the christmas tree.  in comparison to snow, decorations, and delicious desserts, christmas trees are arguably the most recognized symbol for christmas – other then santa clause of course.  despite santa’s tremendous influence on christmas, what would santa do if there were not any trees to put presents under?  essentially, santa and christmas depend on these decorated trees!

despite the overwhelming popularity of christmas trees, many tree purchasers are unaware of the options that exist.  no, i don’t mean eastern red cedars, doulas firs, fraser firs, or the blue spruce, i am talking about organic, artificial, or fertilized.  according to research at the oregon state university, about 99 percent of christmas trees in america are grown with some sort of chemical.  however, some farmers still insist on growing organically, even though it requires more work. 

recently, in a visit michael tabor’s farm in needmore, pennsylvania, we sat down and discussed the concept of sustainable christmas trees with tabor.  although there are negative economic effects associated with growing organic christmas trees, tabor wouldn’t have it any other way.

during the interview, tabor also questioned the negative impact of non-organic trees.  despite the fact that nothing has been scientifically proven, tabor insists that these chemical and pesticides could be harmful to the environment.  in order to protect the environment, he chooses to grow sustainably without the use of pesticides and herbicides.

while the christmas season nears, consider other tree options.  christmas has always been a time of family and tradition, so this winter consider starting a new tradition that involves a sustainable tree.