Today, being Diwali, I couldn’t help but think back to one of my first few posts that I wrote on this blog titled ‘Festival of Lights … or Endangering The Environment’ … I had just moved to Bombay and was experiencing my ‘first real Diwali’ and I was just left in a state of shock !
Don’t get me wrong here … Diwali holds a significant meaning to the Indian community and is a form of a celebration of the new year. Diwali is the ‘festival of lights’ and is often associated (and celebrated) with fireworks and bright lights. However – I still can’t get my head around WHY we (the educated population) need to celebrate a festival with something like fire crackers that have such a detrimental impact on the human body AND the environment ?
Has it ever crossed your mind just how destructive this joyous festival can be ? Has it ever occurred to you that you could be aggravating and/or creating a health issue for yourself ? Have you ever stopped to consider just HOW SCARED animals must be with the loud bursts of the crackers ?
With the increased levels of global warming, have you given any thought to just how much pollution we are adding to the natural environment ? In my original post, I wrote about how the skies were filled with drifting smoke behind the light of the fireworks … we are BREATHING those very fumes and slowly damaging our lungs. 
According to Dr Rajesh Chawla of Apollo Hospital in Delhi, the particles left over from fireworks can cause eye, throat and nose problems which may not be felt immediately but can develop into serious health hazards in the long-term.
I was happy to read that the ministers of various states in India have been trying to promote a ‘green Diwali’. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal appealed to children to say no to crackers and celebrate Diwali with lights. Dhumal said indiscriminate use of crackers alarmingly increases the level of toxic chemicals in the air and noise, which is not only detrimental to the environment but also affects the eyes, throat and respiratory system.
The human ear takes in sound at about 60 decibels – and the majority of fire crackers can create more than 80 decibel noise – which can cause temporary hearing loss, restlessness, anger, and over-reaction to situations. We are in essence creating physiological damage for ourselves. Did you know that on Diwali day the noise levels from the use of fire crackers etc can reach a deafening 140 decibels !!
Imagine the state of animals (pets & 
strays alike) that have the ability to detect sounds that are too faint for the human ear cannot hear … they start to tremble; try to run away and hide .. at least our pets are safe .. but the strays .. my heart goes out to them ! I have seen some children (beggars & from good families) tie fire crackers to the ends of dogs / horses tails causing them to run in fear and hurt themselves ! It’s INHUMAN to this and is an act that is punishable by law.
I could go on and on … but the point I guess I'm trying to make is that - the fireworks look great for a few minutes but have we ever really given a thought to the consequences that our bodies and the natural environment encounters after those few minutes ?
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