To celebrate victorious Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya, people lit diyas to show him the way and help him conquer the darkness and demons that befell his path. Today during the festival of lights, real-life demons such as global warming, pollution and loud bursts of sound lurk in our presence from grand displays of lights and sound. Don’t get carried away in the festive frenzy; reduce the harm we cause to the environment with these eco-friendly tips!
From light to blight
Firecrackers may be fun to light up; but today’s increasing population, purchasing power and clever selling schemes have resulted in a lot more crackers being burst and smoke-filled air. Since firecrackers contain chemicals which are not only harmful to human beings and animals but also to the environment, there are a number of things you can do to mitigate this damage. Instead of bursting firecrackers with your own family or group of friends, why not join other groups of people? This will result in fewer firecrackers being lit up. Try to buy eco-friendly fi recrackers that emit less smoke and are made up of recycled paper. Instead of decorating your home with electric lights that consume tons of energy, use the much prettier and traditional form of décor, diyas. Also, few realise that firecrackers are made in harsh conditions sometimes by employing child labour, exposing factory workers to hazardous conditions. For instance, avoid buying the Sivakasi brand of fi reworks, which has come under the scanner for employing underage children and making them work in unsafe factories for a meagre wage.
Noise-free Diwali
Th ere have been many cases of people suff ering from loss of hearing, asthma and other respiratory problems, as well as high blood pressure due to loud bangs and excessive smoke around Diwali. Besides humans, animals get petrified by the loud sounds produced by firecrackers. Eco-friendly firecrackers can help to reduce the sound of crackers to manageable levels. Many produce pieces of paper and coloured lights instead of a noisy bang.
Green gifts
Diwali is also the time to buy new things for the house and gifts for others. However, excessive consumerism is directly related to greater consumption of raw materials and natural resources used in the manufacturing process. When you are shopping for Diwali, try to buy recyclable gifts instead of items that can be used just once. Also, when cleaning your home before Diwali, give away things to the needy instead of just throwing them away. By adopting an eco-friendly way of celebrating Diwali, you will not only be able to save your money, but you’ll also be able to do your part towards helping to save the environment.
Volume 1 Issue 4
