Ganesh festival: Let wisdom prevail...

This refers to recent Ganesh Festival and the usual rant by section of media over the water pollution after Genesh Visarjan (immersion) started and many 'educated' people started a debate over this. One such, Ms Gupta from Pune mentioned in her comments on Facebook - "However I detest the celebration of Ganpati Festival especially in Maharashatra cause if God resides in Idols for those who care least for their homeland and this is what their God, home and environment deserves after today, then shame on them." (Ref: (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Ganesh-festival-leaves-50-tonne-waste-trail-in-Chennai/articleshow/49053088.cms)

Agree that they should use environmental friendly material for making Ganesh Ji, but do not agree the words used and spread by section of media to mislead people to detest everything about Hindu festival or rituals. It is biased and misleading and mitigated systematic campaign as they never dare to speak up against animal slaughter during Eid or Thanks Giving or No word on wastage of electricity or trees cut down during Christmas. 

Why biased?: There are many bigger issues that create far more damage to the environment on daily basis than these annual celebration that brings smiles on millions of faces. It is a small industry that manufacture such idols, diya (earthen lamps) and other decorative stuffs. This is serious business and major source of earnings for many poor people.

Water Pollution

Why we need to continue?: The festivals and bring joy, togetherness, and change from daily routine. It provides earning to many families. It is part of our culture and identity. These events bring many Indians together and are one of the major source of socialising or meeting new friends abroad.

Instead of detesting, we should learn to appreciate it. 

Counter measures: 

1. Educate people to buy environmental friendly idol.

2. There are NGOs who are working towards cleaning the beaches and one of them is headed by Shaina NC, a BJP leader. We can add more people to the cause. 

Instead of feeling sad or detesting the people (for celebrating) over environmental issue raised by media over 10 days celebration, how about some concrete steps in our personal life on 365 days...some of them may be - 

1. Stop using plastic that could potentially kill animal on land and in sea after consumption. 

2. Stop buying plastic toys for our children as the waste germinated through these toys is huge due to the quantity, the size and the quality of the plastic used for making toys. 

3. Stop buying all items packed in plastic. and also communicate the same to the to the manufacturer. 

4. Stop eating meat as the industry uses huge quantity drinking water to produce clean meat and it also berates solid waste that is difficult to dispose of easily. 
5. Stop setting the extreme opposite temperatures during summer or winter. Most of the commercial high raises are extremely environmental unfriendly as they maintain the temperature of centralised AC below 20 in summer and able 25 in winter.

6. Stop traveling unnecessary to reduce pollution. 
7. Stop buying anything that is not needed including cloths, gadgets, toys, furniture, car or anything...remember all these are environmental unfriendly. 

As Issac Asimov quoted, "The saddes aspect of the life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom". 

With smartphone and data connectivity, I would rather say that - Science gathers and distributes knowledge faster than the society gathers the wisdom. Let, the wisdom prevail on us to understand the 'rights' and the 'wrongs' and difference between them...

Maggie in hot and thick soup...

Referring to recent row over Maggi and it's quality that shook Indians and their perception about processed food. The reality is - most of the processed and fast food have some amount of chemicals to preserve or increase it's shelf life...

Do you want to check the quality of flour that is used to make burger or noodles or pizza base or many more items...why it remains unaffected whereas the homemade flour doesn't last more than 2-3 weeks...Another sensitive issue is, these MNC add meat flavour to their proceed food which is not declared by few companies. It was alleged by Late Shri Rajiv Dixit, a well-known social activist that 'maggie' used pork while making it. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uru3hk35S-A)

Photo Curtesy: Dainik Bhaskar

Photo Curtesy: Dainik Bhaskar

Now, look at the fast food, check the oil in fast food resultants...most of them change it once in a week. The oil once changed is heated for whole day for entire week, restaurant workers just add additional oil when the oil quantity is reduced. Do you want to check the quality of oil which is over heated several times on continuous basis??? Is it safe? 

Here are few articles published in UK, charged Nestle on serious ground...

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/14/nestle-pepsico-and-others-use-public-funds-to-develop-harmful-snacks

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2992448/Junk-food-firms-six-figure-handouts-funded-taxpayers-obesity-costs-Britain-50bn-year-rising-companies-including-Nestle-Pepsi-given-money-improve-products.html

Nestle, even known for it's manipulation was questioned earlier when it sponsored a research on infant mortality. In one of the research papers - Biased, conflict of interest in Science controversial Industry funding of infant feeding studies by Lorretta Kopelman has alleged that it impacted the research (conducted by Popkin on infant mortality) in way of collecting, interpreting and reporting the work. It was also mentioned that Nestle promoted their baby food-formula during late 80s and early 90s...

Batches will be disapproved, questioned, then approved,or re-called and may be re-lauched with big media budget...it their business. None will question media who endlessly promote/publish it, none will question actors who endorse it, none will question the officers for the real truth behind all these exercise and lastly none will know the govt and its stand...at the end, it is all about their business...

But, taking care of our health MUST be our business.

So, why can't we retrospect and do the little homework and plan our strategy for the family.

Buy food in raw form and buy modern technology to make the life easier...

I remember, my grandma first taught me how to make 'semiya upma' (desi Maggi actually done in 3 min) and she always made the best. She and even my mother with help of sisters....used summer vacations to prepare all those papad, noodles/simaya and many more items for the entire year.

Now, girls will say - it is outdated and time consuming process...but well, it is NOT. Because we have modern equipments with latest technologies are widely available in various forms/budgets... Check out the varieties of grinder, atta makers and other equipments...one don't have to spend so much time in the kitchen.

I was talking to one of my friends in Mumbai. She mentioned about making atta, besan, masala at home using mini-chakki atta...she is doing it once in a week for 10-15 min. For Masala / bensan once in month for 20 min...It is not too much. Why don't we use them to ease out daily stress instead of giving into temptation of outside poor quality food that is loaded with all kinds harmful chemicals...and later we complain about diseases we never thought would come to us at early state. Think, how many of you knew about 'Cancer' before 40 years. hardly anyone...because food was not loaded with pesticide or harmful chemicals which is one of the main reasons of Cancer.

As I always mentioned proudly that I love to cook varieties of food at home including sweets and namkin items, so I feel little satisfied whenever Aryman enjoy it...I think one can always spend little time in kitchen when you have comfort of maid services who can help if require.

Indian street snacks are better as most of the vendors consume what they cook for the day before closing the shop. Next day they start with new preparation like vada pav, samosa, chat kachori. Most of them do not know how to preserve the food longer using chemicals, so, they are cautious about the quantity. Only part you need to check is - water source.

Eating good food is a part of happiness...so enjoy your life with good food not with disease that will bother you and your finances during old age....

#notomaggie #nestle #fastfood #processedfood #MaggieMuddle #hypocrisy 

Why 'no water' on 'HOLI' is a politically motivated campaign....

Holi is a festival of joy...

Have animal lovers and environmentalists started their rant against Holi???? A useless bunch of people who don't dare to oppose animal slaughter on Eid/Thanksgiving; and maintain their convenient and cowardly silence over these most gruesome traditions and customs of killing animals or cutting down millions of trees.

The mainstream media backed by MNC will never dare to show the real cause of the water consumption and wastage...some of these are listed below:

1. Industry (chemical, fertilizer, meat...)
2. Irrigation for agriculture (major part is used, not misused)
2. Air conditioning facilities and water cooler system
3. Energy generations plants
4. Personal usage (almost 80% water is wasted through the flush)
6. Water transportation and oil spills

As quoted by the USGS water science school in USA, "The industries that produce metals, wood and paper products, chemicals, gasoline and oils, and those invaluable grabber utensils you use to get your ring out of the garbage disposal are major users of water." 

(http://water.usgs.gov/edu/wuin.html)

Every industry is directly or indirectly responsible for water consumption and also for water wastage. In worst case scenarios, they are also responsible for water pollution in some form and the degree of intensity varies, depending on the size and nature of the industry. It also includes corporate offices/malls or centrally air-conditioned buildings that use good amount of water to provide facilities and to water cooling systems for their air-conditioning plants. Water is commonly used to remove heat from engines and industrial equipment, and this is common in automobiles, internal combustion engines, power plants, refineries, and many large industrial facilities.

However, some sections of the media, as proved earlier only prefer to project partial or, in worst cases, the wrong picture to misguide people who have either no time or interest to verify the facts.

In addition, this (misguided) campaign continues in another direction. Just referring to all those people who are themselves getting confused by supporting two contradictory causes because, on one hand, they are protesting the beef ban (that is recently imposed in Maharashtra, one of the Indian states) and, on other hand, they are also supporting environmental cause(s). Their support only proves that it is superficial in nature as their contradictory stand will make no sense at all. To verify this statement, please check out the following data that shows how being vegan or at least being vegetarian will improve your carbon and water footprint, which is very important to support environmental causes. So, now, where is the "walk the talk"?

Food footprint

This second picture shows the water consumption for these food items we consume on daily basis.

Water Foot print

Now, it is the media's responsibility to check the credible data before they start their "Save Water" campaign and as per the following data, India is not in the right place for their campaign. The graph clearly shows that India does not figure into the top five nations whose "average daily domestic water consumption" per capita is highest in the world... It would be very noble if the Main-Stream Media (MSM) continues their prestigious "Save Water" campaign at the right place...and of course, Holi in India will never be the ideal place for this. 

Now, let us all enjoy the festival with sweets, color, and laughter....with one precaution to use natural color to avoid harm in any possible way.

Holi

#savewater #environment #campaign #hypocrisy #life #Hinduism #misguidedcampaign #festival #falsehood #holi #media 

Why "NO-Crackers" is a misleading campaign...

This may surprise many of you why I am advocating against the popular media drive of "Cracker-Free Diwali." It seems this is a motivated campaign. Instead, they could have chosen a moderate way of avoiding "high decibel" crackers and gone for delightfully visual ones... Bursting crackers to express joy is part of the tradition since thousands of years. 

The illumination of homes with lights and the skies with firecrackers is an expression of obeisance to the heavens for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, and prosperity. According to one belief, the sound of firecrackers is an indication of the joy of the people living on Earth, making the gods aware of their plentiful state. Still another possible reason has a more scientific basis: the fumes produced by the crackers kill a lot of insects and mosquitoes, found in plenty after the rains. (this paragraph is taken from internet - http://www.indiacelebrating.com/festivals/diwali/significance)

The Diwali celebration was signified with Lord Rama's return from exile that brought happiness and a festive environment for the entire kingdom.

We burst crackers not only during Diwali festivals, but also during marriage and other auspicious functions to drive away bad elements in the environment. In addition, we also burst crackers after winning matches or elections to express our joy. There are many visually delightful crackers during the Olympics and other sports events at international levels. I wonder why the media remains conspicuously silent on these occasions...

Contrary to the media campaign about crackers creating environmental (air and noise) pollution, let me bring out few facts about pollution.

Top Air pollution contributors are: Chimneys of industry/factories, war (missiles, bombs...), Airlines, Vehicles (especially, diesel ones), refineries, air-conditioning, fire in jungles...

Top Noise Pollutions contributors are: Factories, Vehicles, War, Airplane take-offs, Construction work (especially road), air-conditioning. 

Top Water Pollution contributors: Industry/factory's untreated water, pesticides, oil-spill, civic waste, plastic in water. 

The West Bengal government put a restriction on crackers during Diwali long ago, but it still is the most polluted state without crackers...so NO crackers will not ensure a pollution-free environment, but if the government acts on the above-mentioned points, it will result in a huge positive impact.  

So, don't be ignorant or carried away with misleading campaigns and raise your voice against the correct cause in the right direction....

Noise and air Pollution Sources

Here is the list of few Dos and Don'ts

Dos: 
- Use mass/public transportation, 

- Avoid or cut down on meat consumption (animal farming result of cutting down forests, cleaning, transporting & preserving meat needs huge resources), 

- Cut down on water consumption, 

- Cut down your air travel

- Raise your voice against pollution-making industries and government for wars...

- Use crackers that are visually delightful (fulzadi/Sparklers, Anar/Flowerpot, Chakras..at the least decibels ladi..., please check the local names) and less noisy...Indian manufactured crackers.

Don't: 
- Do not use loud / noisy (high decibel) crackers...especially not around hospitals and other sensitive areas

- Avoid unnecessary travel (business/personal)

- Don't use your personal vehicle

- Don't buy environmental unfriendly products 

- Avoid buying from companies who have environmental unfriendly policies
- Avoid air-conditioning system/environment

Lastly, a message to all whoever are protesting against crackers, must answer the following:

1. Do I use personal vehicle?
2. Do I travel by air for pleasure?
3. Do I live or work in an air-conditioned environment?
4. Do I protest against much bigger pollution offenders?
5. Do I use any product that is part of the pollution-making industry or company?
6. Do I use any product that is from a product or company that is environmental unfriendly?
7. Do I also protest regularly all unfriendly customs of other religions?
8. Do I personally ban or advocate NO crackers on other occasions (like at Olympics, cricket match, marriages, procession...)

If you do NOT follow any of the above, please, please be quiet, as you lost the right to protest here...NO place for hypocrisy....

Let us make this Diwali happy for all...

and let us keep the ball (this beautiful tradition) rolling...