Deepavali or its most common variant Diwali has always been known as a festival of color and light. While its exact significance/origin in history is dubious (quite a common incidence in several Hindu mythologies), no one (who is a Hindu) questions its purpose.
Just recently I happened to witness a debate on "Diwali and its effects on the atmosphere". The people debating it are supposedly intelligent, educated & original thinkers!!! I just felt puckish.
Deepavali in India has been celebrated since times immemorial. It marks the approach of winter and the new harvest season. I love Diwali. I love all the rituals and festivities associated with it. I love the fun, gaiety, tasty eats as well as the noise and pollution of Deepavali. Anyone who does not share my feelings....
Quick fact - A once in a year occurrence does not contribute much to global warming :P (for those of u who didn't know).
Global warming is a recent observation and occurrence. It did not start because of Diwali, nor will it end with it.
I am not entirely sure of details nor do I really care for the emissions from "firecrackers". I love the smell of gunpowder too for that matter. All you loud mouths screaming to stop pollution, first quit using all modern day appliances. Get all government and militant groups to stop waging wars. When all other countries stop having fireworks on certain important days, I might perhaps be persuaded to think about giving up crackers on Diwali.
I am not a hypocrite. I cannot live without several modern comforts, many of which contribute to global warming. Their respective natural substitutes are simply not viable options anymore. I therefore try to minimize/optimize such necessary evils. For example - using CARPOOLS. Those who ask for company leased cars and then go on to preach a GREEN DEEPAVALI..... please take a flying jump for all I care.
My only worry during Diwali is for the numerous birds I have at home. However, I have never heard them complain nor die of fear or fall sick even. So, if it is the noise that bothers you....I suggest you get some treatment for your sad life.
Some smart----- argue about the use of child labor in the fireworks industry. Well u guys...have you found a solution yet? Sure I would love to see those children happy, well-fed and studying in schools. Show me a working model of that ideal world and I will participate myself to carry it forward. In India, with all the great leaders and people's representatives, an ideal life for such (already deprived) children is just not a possibility....Please do not bother to argue just for the sake of it.
True, child laborers are denied their just dues. However, they do get something (nobody is a fool to work repeatedly without getting paid). A parent, unable to earn even that meager amount and provide his child with at least two square meals a day, does not have his child's education as his top priority. Free secondary education, mid-day meals etc are just hogwash. So quit arguing and accept that these children are not going to school after losing their jobs. Quit putting them on a fast track to death - either due to starvation or unhygienic midday meals.
Don't argue for a green Diwali then go ahead and celebrate marriages or cricket victories with fireworks. Quit being myopic hypocrites and pseudo intellectuals.
Subscribe
Posts
Comments
2 comments:
Hey MI3,
Just happened to go through the entire blog post today.
The point of debate was the stand of Google projecting itself as a Green company when at the same time, it cancelled the option of sweets and other modes of celebration in favor of fire crackers.
The point about cabs was raised by Shreyas in the first reply itself and so I am not sure about what you meant by that.
Similar to Deepavali, majority of the people in the world celebrate the New Year by bursting crackers. Nobody has any issues with Deepavali or New Year. The point was simple. If you are officially doing the above (Cabs, Crackers, etc,.), then please be practical and do not project yourself as Green.
Just wanted to clarify my stand with regards to the reply I made.
Google is not entirely Green yet. I doubt if it is even possible if we want to continue in the high tech (semi-conductor/chip) world. Perhaps our only savior is Nano-technology.
If you ask me, Google is perhaps one of the most proactive companies that seeks ways to go green. Yes I love the parties too. I miss them as well. I do not enjoy losing out on our gifts/celebrations either. But lets be practical. Try and think what u would do if you owned Google. We all know the market economics today. Trust me it is better to fall asleep knowing you have to go to work tommorow, instead of with fond memories of what work u did earlier.
Did you know, we pay a lot extra to chip manufacturers so that our servers can operate well even at high temperatures? This results in lesser air conditioning. Hence we save electricity as well as polar lifeforms.
Carpools are the best way to reduce CO2/CO emissions. The first allegation in the chain mail was - "I was denied a company car coz Google believes in going green yet, it hires 300 indicas to ferry us all"
There are thousands of Googlers all around the world. If every one of us starts buying company leased vehicles, we will only add thousands of tonnes of CO2/CO producing machines to the environment.
Not everyone wants to drive to work everyday. I personally have nightmares at the thought of driving on Hyderabad roads. So even if 1/3rd in office opted out of carpools, we would still need almost the same amount of cars for the remaining 2/3rd. Hence, even if 1 person per cab opted out of carpool, the cab would still be required for the other two. Where exactly is the efficiency gain?
Lets consider some micro level stuff now. A half/one KG sweet packet, comes in a paper box covered with plastic. Consider thousands of such boxes and consider their impact on the environment.
Coming to whats inside the sweet box. Consider the amount of sugar, milk, ghee or oil that goes into making a sweet piece. Calculate the amount of power/fuel consumption in just the production of these raw materials. I am not even commenting on the health threats associated with sweets.
Resource wastage and subsequent hazards are much higher in making sweets than firecrackers.
Yes, it definitely feels nice to take back home a box full of Dadu's Ladoos/sweets as gift. It tastes even better. But after you finish the box, u wonder if it would have been wiser giving them to the maid.
Perks and benefits is a product of personal perceptions. But it does not alter the fact that Google is very definitely a Green company.
Post a Comment