The hangover after festival of Diwali
CLOTHES, gold, silver, sweets, chocolates, decorative items, gifts, entertaining, visiting family and friends, picnics, get-togethers, fireworks... the Diwali list is never ending! After all Diwali season is a time to generously open the purse strings, energy levels and splurge! Expenses monetarily and energy vise mount considerably - on a graph, showing a steep and sudden incline! Every good time of celebration is followed by tiredness and fatigues of the event, making us realize the amount of energy we have spend on the occasion. The mental and physical hangover after the festival will drop us down to relax and regain our energy levels to perform on our daily routine basis. The Holiday mood of students and family to get back to school and daily activities is a challenge to many to return to the initial energy levels.
Significance of Diwali
Deepavali usually occurs on the day before the new moon between mid October to mid November according to the lunar calendar. Diwali actually signifies the victory of good over evil indicating that truth and goodness would always triumph and to never forget the goodness and greatness of time. Lighting up of the lamps and fireworks indicate the happiness over good things in this world with joy which cannot be contained, but shared and received with more happiness. Sharing is one significant attribute of deepavali. People share food, crackers and enjoy the festivity together thus making it a celebration for all to take pride in celebrating this colorful festival of lights.
The scientific significance of Diwali in ancient times occurs as during the rainy season and on the new moon night in India the lighting of fire crackers and lamps would safeguard the people from insects and darkness with warmth and light. Did you know that diyas lit on the moonless Diwali night signifies the end of darkness of ignorance and the beginning of light that enlightens all? Well, this Diwali enlighten yourself towards the hazards that boisterous celebrations of Diwali poses to our environment.
The scientific significance of Diwali in ancient times occurs as during the rainy season and on the new moon night in India the lighting of fire crackers and lamps would safeguard the people from insects and darkness with warmth and light. Did you know that diyas lit on the moonless Diwali night signifies the end of darkness of ignorance and the beginning of light that enlightens all? Well, this Diwali enlighten yourself towards the hazards that boisterous celebrations of Diwali poses to our environment.
How to celebrate an Eco Sensitive Diwali?
Make yourself aware about the three major environmental impacts of the traditional Diwali celebrations on Mother Nature.
Make yourself aware about the three major environmental impacts of the traditional Diwali celebrations on Mother Nature.
"Say 'No' to Fire crackers and 'Yes' to life!"
For most people lighting of firecrackers is the highlight of Diwali with brighter the sparkles, louder the noise the greater the thrill!! In fact to many of us, these aesthetic forms of light seem so appropriate and most essential when celebrating the 'Festival of Lights'. But little do we realize that in our increasingly populated and air polluted cities, the temporary joy of watching the firecrackers is soon replaced by the intense toxic gases that are harmful to the health of all living beings and are dreaded by the sick and the ailing including the accidental burn injuries which turns the mood of celebration off.
The harmful effects posed by each of its chemicals.
For most people lighting of firecrackers is the highlight of Diwali with brighter the sparkles, louder the noise the greater the thrill!! In fact to many of us, these aesthetic forms of light seem so appropriate and most essential when celebrating the 'Festival of Lights'. But little do we realize that in our increasingly populated and air polluted cities, the temporary joy of watching the firecrackers is soon replaced by the intense toxic gases that are harmful to the health of all living beings and are dreaded by the sick and the ailing including the accidental burn injuries which turns the mood of celebration off.
The harmful effects posed by each of its chemicals.
| Chemical | Impact |
| Copper Cadmium Lead Magnesium Sodium Zinc Nitrate Nitrite | Irritation of respiratory tract Anemia and damage to kidney Affects the nervous system Its dust and fumes cause metal fume fever Reacts violently with moisture and can attack the skin. Leads to vomiting Could lead to mental impairment Could lead to coma |
Noise Pollution caused by Fire Crackers
Crackers that make a noise of more than 125 decibels at four metres distance from the point of bursting are banned by the law. Given here are the hazards posed by excessive noise pollution caused by crackers:
| a) Hearing loss, high blood pressure, heart attack and sleeping disturbances. b) Sudden exposure to loud noise could cause temporary deafness or permanent relative deafness. c) The high level of noise generated by the crackers cause immense suffering to birds and animals. |
2. Excessive Consumerism
An indirect but significant impact of Diwali on nature is the increased consumption with many people believing that it is a good time to buy to celebrate the amassment of their wealth. Advertisements and hoardings scream out to people offerings sales extravaganzas, bargains, discounts encouraging us to buy more and more! Sadly, few of us realise that the firecrackers used on Diwali are mostly made by very young child labourers who handle extremely toxic substances and get sick and die in their early teenage years.
An indirect but significant impact of Diwali on nature is the increased consumption with many people believing that it is a good time to buy to celebrate the amassment of their wealth. Advertisements and hoardings scream out to people offerings sales extravaganzas, bargains, discounts encouraging us to buy more and more! Sadly, few of us realise that the firecrackers used on Diwali are mostly made by very young child labourers who handle extremely toxic substances and get sick and die in their early teenage years.
3. High Energy Consumption
The festival of lights puts a heavy load on electrical energy sources with the use of electric lights to adorn homes, business establishments, monuments and roads. The older tradition of burning oil lamps is a possible alternative to electric lights - even though it does use oil, the duration of the lamps is shorter.
How does this increased consumption affect Nature?
All man-made items are made directly out of materials from Nature be it plastic, metal, paper or cloth. The non renewable such as fossil fuels and metal ores get depleted and will one day be the most significant impact of consumerism. For instance, the gold earrings that you buy on Diwali are coming from a gold mine that is not only depleting the gold resources of the earth, but in the process of mining is ruining several ecosystems.
Where do all the things we throw away go finally? Solid waste created by human beings which is non biodegradable has to be filled into holes dug up in the ground. These 'landfills' exist for centuries without completely getting integrated into the soil. The plastic toys that you are throwing away today, may exist in a landfill several generations after yours!
Five Principles of R in Nature conservation
To be able to conserve our natural environment it is important to keep in the following principles
The festival of lights puts a heavy load on electrical energy sources with the use of electric lights to adorn homes, business establishments, monuments and roads. The older tradition of burning oil lamps is a possible alternative to electric lights - even though it does use oil, the duration of the lamps is shorter.
How does this increased consumption affect Nature?
All man-made items are made directly out of materials from Nature be it plastic, metal, paper or cloth. The non renewable such as fossil fuels and metal ores get depleted and will one day be the most significant impact of consumerism. For instance, the gold earrings that you buy on Diwali are coming from a gold mine that is not only depleting the gold resources of the earth, but in the process of mining is ruining several ecosystems.
Where do all the things we throw away go finally? Solid waste created by human beings which is non biodegradable has to be filled into holes dug up in the ground. These 'landfills' exist for centuries without completely getting integrated into the soil. The plastic toys that you are throwing away today, may exist in a landfill several generations after yours!
Five Principles of R in Nature conservation
To be able to conserve our natural environment it is important to keep in the following principles
|
Eco sensitive Initiatives around Diwali
With the growing recognition of the impacts of Diwali on the environment, let us start to reinterpret the rituals and traditions to become more sensitive to nature. For instance, the children celebrate a different Diwali by sharing clothes or toys with the lesser privileged. Productive holidays and enjoyment by participating in courses or events to gain knowledge by organizing and joining groups to promote and provide door lamps, cards, sweets etc to gain money as a self saving scheme for the family and society.
With the growing recognition of the impacts of Diwali on the environment, let us start to reinterpret the rituals and traditions to become more sensitive to nature. For instance, the children celebrate a different Diwali by sharing clothes or toys with the lesser privileged. Productive holidays and enjoyment by participating in courses or events to gain knowledge by organizing and joining groups to promote and provide door lamps, cards, sweets etc to gain money as a self saving scheme for the family and society.
Pressure on parents
The pressure on parents can be considered as children at home need to be entertained with extra time, energy and expenditure for new clothes, outings, traditional sweets, fireworks etc in the spirit of Diwali. Students should understand the problems of parents and try and help them in the annual house cleaning, Diwali decorations by applying the simple things of art and skills that they learn at school. Diwali is a time of home-coming, so with extra family members the hands to work out the celebration are more. This is a beautiful opportunity to work as a team to enjoy and delegate work and budget the ceremony of traditional food, gifts and decoration.
We can say ‘No’ to crackers and ‘Yes’ to life. So this Diwali, before you buy something new apply the new principles of celebration to make your Diwali healthy, wealthy and wise. Have an Eco friendly Diwali with your friends. Let our celebrations bring us to live life fuller rather than to tire or overburden our relationships and living with the joy of being and doing things together as a family, society to build a better world around us.
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