Eassy on the topic of pollution free diwali
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Read: 10 ways to celebrate eco-friendly Diwali
Unfortunately, in recent times Diwali has lost its original connotation, and now the celebration is mostly about burning firecrackers. Firecrackers of different varieties are easily available in the market, and the people of India spend thousands of rupees over the same without realising that this is affecting the environment as well as the health of individuals. Here are a few ill effects of firecrackers which one should know about:
Environmental Hazards
Firecrackers have the following constituents as per Bombay National History Society Laboratory, Mumbai:
• Highly toxic heavy metals like cadmium, lead, copper, manganese, zinc, sodium, magnesium and potassium.
• Few of the aforesaid metals are in the form of nitrites and nitrates.
• Sulphates and phosphates
For the layman, the following are the ways in which the aforesaid chemicals harm the environment:
• Barium, Cadmium, Sodium, Mercury, Nitrate and Nitrite are major air pollutants.
• The smoke that emanates from crackers pollutes the air as well as the environment because of the chemicals used in manufacturing them.
• The smoke contains tiny metallic particles and produces smog.
• The RSPM, Respirable Suspended Particulate Material level goes up during Diwali making the air unhealthy to breath.
• The Carbon Dioxide emitted while burning firecrackers is a major cause for global warming.
• Diwali also sees a great amount of non-biodegradable dry waste in the form of papers, plastics and firework covers causing soil pollution.
• Recent studies have shown that the chemical particles also contaminate the water bodies. They penetrate the soil and even result in the contamination of the ground water making it unfit for consumption.
Noise Pollution
Noise is unwanted sound and measured in decibels (dB). It is indeed a dangerous pollutant which is hazardous to the environment. Firecrackers produce sounds which are much higher in decibels tolerable for the human ear. During Diwali the decibel levels go up to 125 dB which is equivalent to the noise produced by a military jet at the time of take off. The noise level allowed by the Government is only 55 dB during daytime and 45dB during night, but these limits are crossed by a great extent causing environmental hazards.
Health Hazards
Diwali, a joyous occasion, has now become a source for ailments because of the following reasons:
• The suspended particles in the air because of burning firecrackers cause allergic conditions to skin, eye, throat and nose.
• Diseases like Bronchitis and Asthma get aggravated due to the suspended particles, Sulphur Dioxide, and Nitrogen Dioxide. In recent times, people suffering from these Chronic Pulmonary diseases have started taking refuge in hilly places or even hospitals.
• Children from the age of 6 to 16 are more susceptible to breathing problems because of the smoke.
• The heavy metals used in the firecrackers will leave a residue in the lungs of people causing permanent damage.
• The Sulphur Dioxide emanated by the crackers also affects plant life and their productivity.
• The Carbon Monoxide produced in the process of burning crackers hampers the Hemoglobin content in the blood causing it to malfunction in the process of transporting oxygen in the blood. Thus various parts of the body suffer from oxygen deprivation.
• Noise pollution results in hearing loss, high blood pressure, heart attack and sleep disorder.
• The chemicals used in the firecrackers also indirectly result in stomach disorders, for if the hands are not washed properly before intake of food it may cause food poisoning.
• Unsafe practices also result in many burn injuries which could have been avoided.
• The firecrackers are normally handmade and the people making them are exposed to harmful chemicals which result in irreversible health damage. Most of the factories employ young children making it even more appalling.
• Last but not the least, the effect of firecrackers on birds and animals is cataclysmic. Animals like dogs and cats have a more sensitive sense of hearing than humans. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a non-profit organisation, awareness should be created for the masses.
Pollution free Diwali:-
Celebrating Diwali and all other festivals without causing pollution is the direst need of the hour; if we don't celebrate them in eco-friendly way, we may not live to celebrate them for the years to come.
All life forms adapt according to the existential challenges and difficulties, man included. Man has made his life so complex that he appears to have been lost in the labyrinths he unwittingly or wittingly woven around himself. One such labyrinth is the labyrinth of environmental degradation. It had never been so critical in the entire history of mankind as it is now. Man's thoughtless and short-sighted approach to life mingled with greed and avarice have brought the entire life on the brink of annihilation.
He must change his life-style, traditions, customs, festivals, and gene ways of living in such a manner as don't interfere with the balance of environment any longer. If he doesn't, life will cease to exist. Keeping the critical state of environment in mind, Diwali celebrations will have to undergo a drastic change. Till present time, Diwali is synonymous with pollution creating practices, such as bursting crackers by millions of people, candles, etc, send tons of toxic smoke into the already polluted environment, which further degrades it. In the 21st century Diwali, people will only use electric lights to light their houses. For crackers, some non-polluting alternatives will have to be replaced. Crackers that don't cause any pollution need to be invented. Crackers that go up emit light without any smoke. Crackers made of laser light can be a good replacement for the traditional bangers.
Other traditions such as worshipping of goddess Lakshmi, eating sweets, exchange of gifts, etc., may go on unchanged. That's how the Diwali celebrations may undergo some changes in the days to come!
Let's pledge to celebrate Diwali without causing any pollution for our own and our children's health and bright future.