Eco Friendly Diwali
As
India and the rest of the world gets ready to celebrate
the festival of lights, few spare a thought for the environment
that will take a massive b
eating on this day. From the smoke
of the crackers and the harmful chemicals released in the
atmosphere to the noise that is going to rise from the crackers
are all going to cause such a shift in the balance of nature
that it will take months to come back to its normal state.
The solution is not to ban the celebrations
altogether but celebrate Diwali in a controlled and responsible
manner to enjoy the festival of lights in an illuminating
way through traditional and environment friendly methods.
Carelessness during Diwali celebrations can have a detrimental
effect on the environment and endanger your own safety.
Here are some of the major offenders in these celebrations.
Crackers
Firecrackers are traditionally perceived
as being the highlight of Diwali celebrations. Simple sparklers
have now given way to elaborate fireworks that can light
up the entire sky above your home. Most people believe that
greater the fireworks, better the celebrations. However,
very few people stop to think just how harmful these crackers
are for the environment.
To begin with, all available crackers contain
a large amount of toxic substances. These affect people
in different ways as follows;
• Copper: Causes irritation in the respiratory tract,
which leads to respiratory ailments.
• Cadmium: Reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of
blood, leading to anaemia. It also causes kidney damage.
• Lead: Lead in the body has a harmful effect on the
nervous system.
• Magnesium: Magnesium fumes cause a condition known
as metal fume fever. This is a fever accompanied by a metallic
taste in the mouth.
• Zinc: Also causes metal fume fever. In addition,
it also induces vomiting.
• Sodium: Sodium is a highly reactive element. It
combines with moisture in the air and on the skin, causing
burns.
These toxic substances are not just harmful
to human beings, but to all living creatures. They tend
to remain in the atmosphere for extended periods. So their
harmful effects are experienced long after Diwali celebrations
are ended.
Fireworks also produce a lot of smoke,
when they are burnt. Apart from being a source of toxic
fumes, the smoke also causes great discomfort. People suffering
from asthma and other respiratory conditions have no other
choice but to stay indoors during Diwali. They are unable
to go outside for fear of any of the smoke getting into
their lungs and triggering an attack.
Fireworks also bring with them a lot of
noise. Many of the bombs on Diwali produce a sound of 100
decibels when they are burst. In comparison, any sound beyond
50 decibels is classified as being noise. The noise produced
by crackers is extremely hazardous to health. Sudden noise
can cause temporary hearing loss. Extended exposure could
lead to permanent hearing loss. Crackers burst indiscriminately
cause disturbances in sleep.
Power Consumption
Since Diwali is a festival of lights, people
decorate their homes by lighting them up. This places a
huge load on the power supply system. Electric lights are
used to decorate entire homes, offices, and roads. Sometimes,
these lights are even left on even during the day. This
is a waste of energy. It is better to switch to the traditional
oil lamps. Even though they consume oil, these lamps are
usually used only for a short time.
E-Waste
Diwali brings with it hoards of offers,
sales and opportunities for buying new gadgets and electronic
items. People throng the markets on their buying sprees
and as new technology makes its way in homes, old appliances
get discarded. The old electronic items contain many chemical
and metallic components which can not be recycled by conventional
methods. The items which are dumped in the waste bins and
landfills ultimately breakdown into their harmful components
and leech into the atmosphere and from there the harmful
chemicals reach into the food cycle and are ultimately harmful
to humans. There is no clear cut solution to this problem
but preventive cures are the only solution to the problem
of e-waste. The electronic items like old cell-phones can
be given away for further use, computers can be upgraded.
Repair and reuse should be the mantra here if we are to
save our environment from the damaging effects of e-waste.
However, it is time to go back to the traditional
Diwali celebrations of the past with fun and frolic yet
taking care of the environment. Not only will you be helping
to save the environment but also you will understand better
the true meaning of Diwali.
