A 10 year old girl discovered smog for the first time. It was the day after Diwali, when her mom was cleaning the terrace that was mauled by crackers. Welcoming the advent of winters – she announced to her mom that the fog has come. Her mom, not so enthusiastically, told her that it is not fog – it is smog! Looking at question in her eyes – what is smog?, her mom continued telling her that it is the product of pollution that comes from crackers that people burst during Diwali. The 10 year old was not excited anymore. She looked closely at the layer of smog. It appeared like a black mass resting between the sky and earth. It looked beautifully calm, but it was the calmness that was haunting! Like a predator, moving slowly towards a prey. And till the time the prey realizes that, it is dead!
After that day she did not burst crackers. The haunting image of smog appeared in front of her.
Now there is something doing rounds on social media – against an annoying pretentious friend who insists on a plain and silent Deepawali! Check it here >>
The claims made by this message include the following and I bring to you my opinion about the message that is being extensively shared by people who enjoy bursting crackers.
1. The major source of pollution - vehicles and industries burning fossil fuels. Hits the nail on the spot. That is why renewable energy is being so talked about. That is why carbon credits exist. That is why we protest deforestation.
2. Even smoking a cigarette is much bigger source of pollution
If cigarette haunts you so much, then during Diwali a non smoker inhales smoke that is equivalent to 100 sticks.
3. The deadly CFC gases from the ACs these leftists pseudo-intellectuals put in their comfy rooms. Can we live without ACs? Climate change is inevitable – the only possibility is to delay it by being responsible towards environment. Rather than using ACs in all the rooms, use AC in just one room, keep the temperature between 22 to 24 and stuff.
4. Mere 1 day's worth of air-travel in the world produces much more deadly pollution that a Diwali celebration that we observe just once a year.
Exhausts out of an Aero-plane are under checks – exhausts out of crackers are not!
5. We're silently suffering million times more pollution then we shouldn't complain about something insignificant in comparison. As long as people do it in moderation, and enjoy it no one should have a problem.
It could appear insignificant to those who do not suffer. An asthmatic person suffers and while the regulated industrial limit does not seem to kill a lung patient, crackers bursted on the Diwali day do! Who keeps a check on moderation? We do not have any regulations to limit using crackers?
Author's Note: Please do not pick a better wrong out of many wrongs. Celebrate plain and simple Diwali. Celebrations must not encourage damaging the environment.
After that day she did not burst crackers. The haunting image of smog appeared in front of her.
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| Source: The Logical Indian |
The claims made by this message include the following and I bring to you my opinion about the message that is being extensively shared by people who enjoy bursting crackers.
1. The major source of pollution - vehicles and industries burning fossil fuels. Hits the nail on the spot. That is why renewable energy is being so talked about. That is why carbon credits exist. That is why we protest deforestation.
2. Even smoking a cigarette is much bigger source of pollution
If cigarette haunts you so much, then during Diwali a non smoker inhales smoke that is equivalent to 100 sticks.
3. The deadly CFC gases from the ACs these leftists pseudo-intellectuals put in their comfy rooms. Can we live without ACs? Climate change is inevitable – the only possibility is to delay it by being responsible towards environment. Rather than using ACs in all the rooms, use AC in just one room, keep the temperature between 22 to 24 and stuff.
4. Mere 1 day's worth of air-travel in the world produces much more deadly pollution that a Diwali celebration that we observe just once a year.
Exhausts out of an Aero-plane are under checks – exhausts out of crackers are not!
5. We're silently suffering million times more pollution then we shouldn't complain about something insignificant in comparison. As long as people do it in moderation, and enjoy it no one should have a problem.
It could appear insignificant to those who do not suffer. An asthmatic person suffers and while the regulated industrial limit does not seem to kill a lung patient, crackers bursted on the Diwali day do! Who keeps a check on moderation? We do not have any regulations to limit using crackers?
Author's Note: Please do not pick a better wrong out of many wrongs. Celebrate plain and simple Diwali. Celebrations must not encourage damaging the environment.
Agreed, spread smiles and not smokes this Diwali. Happy Diwali
ReplyDeleteThanks Cifar. Happy Diwali to you too!
DeleteAbsolutely....
ReplyDeleteBut,I wish similar msg is sent on Eid
Thanks Mr Chowla. Wish you a Happy Diwali.
DeleteI do not see Eid celebrations polluting the air. I do not quite understand the logic of comparing the two festivities - it appears more like a forced comparison to keep reminding people about religious hatred.
Well written Shine. Firecrackers have corrupted the true meaning of Diwali, which is thr festival of LIGHTS - not NOISE. Diwali has been celebrated since ages, there obviously were no firecrackers then. The war-like scale in which firecrackers are used these days is alarming.
ReplyDeleteVisited that link you mentioned. Some of the comments made by pro-noise readers are hilarious, especially the one on insect control. LOL.
In India, the classic response to any suggestion is - "oh, but why dont you ask those guys first?" Sad.
Nice post.
Happy Diwali,
CRD
Do drop by mine.
Thank you CRD. I take all your points. Allout works great as an insecticide no need for crackers.. lol.
DeleteI thank you to point that classic response to any suggestion. People do not want to correct their thinking but play the blame game. I saw it with all the protest against Haider.. blame Muslims because they did that and do not blame us coz we did that.. hatred at its best!
I will visit your blog.
There was an E-card that we (HeadHonchos) had sent out on Diwali that read something like this: Let the only sound resonate this Diwali be your laughter. I think that was a wonderful message. Though I had posted this comment earlier as well but due to some reason it didn't get posted, here's wishing you a belated Happy Diwali once again :-)
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful Diwali greeting Anupriya :)
DeleteSound of bombs and crackers is ugly!
Absolutely. Even if one must, one should limit oneself to a few crackers. A lot of good can happen with this.
ReplyDeleteCommenting a bit late, but loved your post and had shared the same to spread the message :)
Thanks for sharing the post Shesha and spreading a word. I was waiting for your post on a similar topic, but your 7 Creative Rangoli Designs I came across this Diwali. #HappyDiwali post was a real delight.
DeleteOf all the people I know, there are two clear sects - one that bursts crackers and one that does not. Had it been a life and death situation, I would have taken a stand on limiting bursting crackers, but it is not. Bursting crackers is like burning money. I do not understand why do celebrations turn into excessive of everything - sweets, liquor, hooliganism, and counting.....