How to celebrate Diwali in an eco-friendly way?

How to celebrate Diwali in an eco-friendly way?

World Today is fighting with the pollution problem on the one side and depleting forests and trees on the other side. Both the factors have compelled the world community to think in terms of eco friendly measures. Diwali is one of the main festivals of India which is celebrated with great fervor by all irrespective of caste, creed, religion or region. With the passage of time and changing life style the style of celebrating Diwali has undergone drastic change. Now Diwali means electric illumination, bursting of firecrackers beyond permissible limits of noise and exchange of  costly gifts. All these have negative impact not only on the environment but also on the lifestyle of the Indians. Some of ill effects are listed below:

• Excessive Air Pollution 
• Excessive Noise Pollution
• Excessive Power Consumption
• Consumerism (Excess consumption means excessive use of raw material and resources
• Corruption in the Guise of Diwali Gifts

Besides the above bad environmental effects, modern Diwali Celebrating styles also lead to various health hazards. Some of the health hazards are given below:

• Hearing Loss
• Loss of Vision due to accidents while handling firecrackers.
• Asthma ( Air Pollution)
• Skin Allergies
• Sleeping Disturbances
• Respiratory Problems

In addition to above health hazards and ill impacts on environment, Diwali has also become a source of unending corruption in India. In the olden day people used to exchange sweets among their friends and relatives but now the new trend has set in to please the persons in powers by offering them costly golden gifts to get favors. Even big corporate sector spends millions of dollars on their Diwali Budget as advertising expense to please the bureaucracy and political leaders in power.

How to Celebrate Eco-Friendly Diwali:

Fireworks and Safety Tips:

• Minors should handle fireworks under Adult Supervision
• Purchase only legal and good quality fireworks conforming to safety standards
• Read and Follow the instructions given on packs carefully
• Always keep water, preferably ready hose pipe and/or sand nearby to meet any eventuality
• Fireworks be used outdoor in spaces. It will be better if community fireworks are arranged in open grounds for a limited period.
• Never try to reuse the used fireworks or fireworks that did not go off
• One firework at one time is the golden rule
• Do not use Chinese Fireworks as they are very toxic
• Wear loose and cotton clothes
• After finishing be responsible to and make arrangements to clear the mess next morning
• Wash your hands and feet as firework material can be toxic and cause skin allergies.

Benefits of Community Fireworks commonplace:

• As it will be for limited hours, noise pollution will be restricted to an area.
• Get together can be enjoyable and can be shared
• Can be a place away from hospitals. The area around hospitals should be declared “No Fireworks Zone”
• Diwali Celebration costs can be reduced and wasteful expenditure avoided

Tips for Illumination of Homes with electric illumination

• Earthen Diyas with mustard oil can be used instead of electric illumination
• Electric Illumination is wasteful use of power resources. Save Power for future generation
• Electric short circuits and heavy loads can cause electric fires in addition to electrocution
• Be as simple as possible.
• Never envy you neighbors that my house should illuminate better than that of my neighbor

Tips for Exchange of Gifts and Sweets

• Government should come out heavily on acceptance and offer of Gifts to persons in Power for undue favor. The trend is increasing day by day and the big business houses, corporate and individuals who present costly gifts to find favors.
• Exchange of Sweets be also restricted to Dry Fruits, Bakery Items and Fresh Fruits and Juices instead of sweets which are adulterated by artificial colors, artificial khoya and toxic preservatives.
• New trend of gifting the Fireworks is catching which is adding the existing problem of Diwali which is not eco-friendly in its present shape. We must pledge to stop this practice and there should be a blanket ban of marketing of Fireworks in Gift hampers and packages which temptate the ordinary man or woman to try the idea of gifting fireworks in beautifully packed Gift Packages.

Consumerism Depletes Natural Resources:

Have you ever imagined what happens to the packing material used to pack the sweets and gifts exchanged on the eve of Diwali. Lacs of tonnes of packaging material is manufactured by cutting trees and deforestation leading to environmental imbalances, landslides and Global Warming. I have seen that every year the exchanged gifts get dumped into the store rooms with an idea to regift the gifted items. Trend of sending Diwali Card through post or courier is decreasing with due thanks to social media through which crores of diwali e-greetings are exchanged without  any depletion of natural resources.

Gambling and Bar House should be completely Banned:

Government should make gambling including online gambling and drinking in public places a cognizable offence one week before diwali and a few days after diwali.

Share your views as to how are you celebrating eco friendly Diwali this year. You idea may be well received by the audiences as one idea can change lives.