Hey, it’s not about ‘spoiling the fun’. And if anybody tells you that, just turn around and say that ‘it’s all about the spirit of it’. So, let’s get our cool points on the fingertips...
Natural idols: Using idols made of soil and natural colour will help to keep the rivers and lakes clean. Idols made of plaster of Paris (PoP) and painted with chemical colours do not dissolve easily and leave behind silt in water bodies. Chemical colours cause much damage to the ecology of water. All of us need to be aware that the most serious impact on the natural environment is due to the immersion in water bodies of PoP idols and polythene bags containing offerings.
Rice rangoli: Instead of using harmful chemical colours or paints for Rangoli design, you can substitute them with rice flour, pulse and leaves.
Gift them green: Our options include ecofriendly jute and wooden items such as photo frames, wooden kumkum box, wooden key holders, jute clips, etc. You can also make small purses out of small pieces of clothes.
Zero tolerance for noise: The noise produced by crackers, loudspeakers, traffic, etc., is extremely hazardous to health. You can get together with likeminded anti-noise individuals in your locality to take up all violations of the Environment Protection Act, with cooperation from the police and the municipality.
Save energy: Many of us decorate our homes by lighting them up. This places a huge load on the power supply system. We can save a substantial amount of electricity by opting for candles and diyas. Even though they consume oil, these lamps are usually used only for a short while.
Last but not the least, after the immersion ceremony on the tenth day of Navratri, encourage associations, NGOs, social workers and volunteers in your neighbourhood to participate in a clean-up drive.
