By Akshara Das, Bhavna and Satya Bharti
“To make the sun more brighter, to make the smile wider, festivals come to make the day brighter”.
via Bio-D
Festivals bring a lot of happiness, joy and enthusiasm and India is the country of festivals. It connects people from different communities and religions. Festive season brings a respite from the daily routine, where different communities ritually celebrate different holidays. Each festival in India has a multifaceted meaning and is religiously marked by various practices. While the festivals are a time to celebrate with pomp and show; they often bring with them a host of harmful pollutants and harm our environment.
How are festivals harming our environment?
Noise Pollution
via Deccan Chronicle
Speakers, brand crackers and loud musical instruments, seem to be one of the biggest culprits in our country at festivals. With the arrival of urbanization, people in metros had to take the problem of sound pollution in daily life, and every form of public celebration only worsens this problem. A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) claims that noise pollution is not only a nuisance for the environment, but also a significant threat to public health.
In residential areas, the Supreme Court limits the noise levels up to 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night. The local authorities are there to maintain decorum during the festivals, but we as citizens should also take the responsibility. People often violate the permitted levels during various festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Navratri, Dussehra, Diwali and the list goes on. It not only affects infants and children, but also causes various health problems in adults such as hypertension, sleep disorders, tinnitus and acute hearing loss.
Water Pollution
via Change.org
Every year during Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja celebrations, flowers and parts of idols are spotted in rivers and ghats. Moreover, the confectionery produced by bursting crackers cannot be ignored. Materials such as paris gypsum used while making idols contribute to water pollution. Colors used to decorate the idols are loaded with mercury, which increase the toxin levels in the
water bodies. These toxins ultimately enter the food chain and influence the marine ecosystem and biodiversity. The holy rivers such as Ganga are now saturated with litter, Plaster of Paris, toxic synthetic materials and plastic flowers.
Air Pollution
via Hindustan Times
Explosions of crackers release toxic gases and contribute to air pollution. Every year, Diwali celebration leads to an alarming increase in the levels of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) due to the explosion of firecrackers. RSPMs are tiny particles that contribute to a variety of health problems, including asthma and bronchitis.
Dry Waste
via India Times
Festivals also generate huge amounts of dry waste. Firecrackers are a major component of many festive celebrations, especially Diwali. The problem of dry waste is growing at a skyrocketing
rate due to the lack of landfill space and other restrictions. Local authorities should make appropriate guidelines for the disposal of municipal solid waste. Waste that can be easily recycled or reused also ends up in landfills. Relentless social activism is required to aware people about sustainable methods of celebration.
Civic education can help in reducing the level of pollution during festivals. Eco-friendly festivals incorporate environmental considerations to minimize the negative impact of festivals on the environment. It reduces waste, saves money and causes less pollution. Several sustainable and eco-
friendly ways to celebrate festivals are easily available, and we, as law-abiding citizens, must take the initiative with the government.
Eco-friendly ways of celebration
Use Eco-friendly Idols:
via India News
In several parts of the country, artisans have begun using environment - friendly materials and organic paints to create idols. For example, the idol makers in Kumartuli, the nerve center for idol makers in Calcutta, took steps to decrease the level of toxic waste by using lead-free, mercury-free and chrome paints to decorate their idols.
Use Clay Idols: Instead of using idols made up of Plaster of Paris (POP) and artificial colours,using idols made up of clay would help to keep the rivers, lakes clean.
Opt for Tree Idols : These idols are made of natural colours, fertilisers, red soil and have a seed within them, which grows into a plant. So instead of immersing the idol, it can be placed into a pot and can be watered everyday.
One can easily find videos on YouTube on how to make eco friendly idols at home. For example, you can check these videos for making Ganpati idols - Click Here
Use artificial immersion tanks
via Times of India
If the idols are made of non- biodegradable material,immerse them in the artificially made water tanks. It is gaining popularity in Nagpur and Pune.
Use eco-friendly materials for decoration
Use flower, petals, grains etc. for making Rangoli instead of using artificial colours available in the markets. Avoid using anything made of plastic or materials which harms the environment. Use fresh flowers, diyas, cloth and handmade eco-friendly items for decoration.
Save energy
Switch on decorative lights when necessary. Use lamps that consume less energy.
Cut noise pollution
Avoid playing loud music. Instead of using loudspeakers one can adopt the tradition of singing with family and friends. Avoid bursting firecrackers or switch to eco- friendly crackers.
Say NO to plastic
Discourage the use of plastic bags and use natural plates like banana leaves instead of plastic plates for distributing prasad.
Join your hands, close your eyes and thank God for this beautiful life. Start thinking about our mother nature.
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