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.
