Ministers to review firework dangers
In the pink
There’s a reason why this is one of our most popular houseplants, it is almost indestructible. The waxy red flowers make it a good choice for Christmas but it will thrive all year round. Stand it on a tray filled with pebbles and water in order to provide it with a humid atmosphere or mist the leaves regularly.
– Sunday Post writer Megan Mceachern Growing up, my house was always full of plants and flowers.
My mum was really into flower arranging and our garden was her and my dad’s pride and joy. I grew up on the Isle of Arran and lived in front of a wood, so when I moved to Glasgow, I guess it felt a bit weird not to be surrounded by plants and nature. I always had some small plants dotted about but more recently, my love for greenery has grown.
I think it’s about how they look, and it’s nice to share fun pictures of them decorated on social media like Instagram or Pinterest.
For me they immediately make a room look quirkier and the difference in sizes and shapes really appeals to me. I’m not one for starkness. I really like the cluttered, higgledy-piggledy look, which is what a lot of plants can bring to a room. There’s also an element of calm that foliage can add to a space, and the therapeutic nature of tending to them and watering them is something I really enjoy.
On a more scientific front, they’re also a natural air purifier, and can really help with making your home feel clean and airy and full of oxygen. However, I do think I need to refrain from buying any more before our living room starts feeling less like a lounge and more like a botanic garden. Fireworks usage and how to make them safer for communities is to be discussed as part of a new government consultation. It comes following incidents around bonfire night, which saw a threeyear-old girl being injured and a seven-year-old boy having his fingers blown off. Community safety minister Ash Denham said the consultation would help to improve the government’s understanding of the use and regulation of fireworks in Scotland.
Potential outcomes include extra regulation on the sale of the products, with evidence set to inform the minister’s discussions with Westminster on legislation.
Ms Denham said: “Many people enjoy attending fireworks displays but I am very aware from conversations with members of the public and emergency service workers that there is growing concern about the use and sale of fireworks to individuals. The hard work of the police and fire services to tackle dangerous and anti-social behaviour helped to reduce the number of bonfire night incidents this year.
“However, there were still a number of concerning reports and I am keen to hear the public’s views on the impact of fireworks and action we could take.”