Wedding ceremonies, becoming a paradigm of show, have become a big risk on every front of environmental pollution.
Monika Sharma
Wedding ceremonies, becoming a paradigm of show, have become a big risk on every front of environmental pollution. The ever-increasing glitter and ‘use and throw’ products culture has brought us to an explosive position. Due to such events, not only the wet and dry waste is increasing, but the air pollution is also spreading due to the food dumped in the drains and rivers. This combination of dirt in the surroundings and bad smell in the air is really fatal.
Whether it is the matter of blowing the colors of the earth by spreading pollution or the wasteful expenditure of saveable services-goods, in the recent years, the style of celebrating human happiness in the changed lifestyle is also harming the environment. An example of this is the wedding celebrations that have gone away from the traditional colours. The new style of social-family gatherings of wedding ceremonies has made them garbage dumpers. From innumerable dishes served to decorations, littering, paper-plastic and leftover food being thrown here and there has become a major cause of water-land and air pollution on such occasions. Due to improper disposal of waste from wedding ceremonies, it is also becoming the reason for many diseases.
Significantly, an important initiative has been taken to protect the environment in Indore, which is one of the cleanest cities of the country. The introduction of the new trend of zero waste weddings here is a positive change as part of the steps being taken to save the environment by keeping our surroundings clean. In line with this vision, steps are now being taken to minimize the emission of waste in the wedding ceremonies held in the city. From saving food and water to not spreading garbage, the efforts being made are really necessary. At the same time, such steps are also necessary to save the environment from becoming stifling and unhygienic. Therefore, the introduction of systematic disposal of waste generated in marriage ceremonies in Indore can be called an exemplary step.
Actually, a major reason for the scarcity of precious things like food and water in our country is their wastage. The causes of environmental pollution also include not only public, but also personal and family reasons. Fake wedding ceremonies are a part of this. In recent years, even common families have started organizing such events on a large scale. Various types of essential, non-essential preparations and decorations have become a means of spreading garbage. It is sad that during the wedding season in our cities already littered with garbage, every street, every street is loaded with an extra burden of garbage. The view outside the gleamingly decorated wedding halls is indeed disturbing. Even families who organize such events in royal style by spending lakhs and crores of rupees do not fulfill their due responsibility in this matter. As a result, the foul smell and the wet and dry garbage spread here and there seems to be a sign of forgetting one’s responsibility while celebrating happily.
Food wastage is also directly linked to wastage of water. Hundreds of tonnes of food is wasted during the wedding season. In such a situation, it is an indirect waste of water used in the production of grains. There is also a lot of waste of thermocol, plastic and many other things in weddings. In this way, under the concept of zero waste weddings in Indore, it is a worthwhile initiative to work on the basis of cleanliness formula in marriage events. According to ‘Swaha’, a waste management start-up in the city, two zero-waste marriages have been organized on these days and there are plans to have about two hundred such marriages in the coming time. In this way, instead of increasing the heap of garbage, these events are also giving a meaningful message of cleanliness to the people participating in them. Through these celebrations, it is understood that apart from the government efforts, the common people can also be a part of the efforts to save the colors of the earth with their accountability.
It would not be wrong to say that wedding ceremonies, which have become a paradigm of show-off, have become a big risk on every front of environmental pollution. The ever-increasing glitter and ‘use and throw’ products culture has brought us to an explosive position. Due to such events, not only the wet and dry waste is increasing, but the air pollution is also spreading due to the food dumped in the drains and rivers. This combination of dirt in the surroundings and bad smell in the air is really fatal. On the one hand the emission of toxic gases, on the other hand the roads and alleyways interspersed with garbage. It is worrisome that even today 40 percent of the total production of cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables is wasted in our country, which is suffering from poverty, hunger and malnutrition. On the human front it is not only regrettable, financially also the market value of this wastage is thousands of crores of rupees.
Proper disposal of every wet-dry and even electronic waste remains a major problem in our country. From above, today’s increasing needs and changing lifestyle are only going to increase the garbage. Many studies related to cleanliness and environment have been warning that the biggest problem of cities and metros in the coming years will be related to proper disposal of waste. Deadly accidents and water logging make life difficult for people every year. One of the main reasons for this is that the drains are clogged with garbage.
Garbage scattered from residential areas to markets and roads obstructs the drainage of rain water. As a result, every time it rains, there is a flood like situation in the cities. Even in this era of making smart cities, there is no such city in which small and big mountains of untreated waste are not visible. In almost all the cities, garbage dumps are causing serious health hazards besides causing accidents. Along with this, the earth, air and water also pollute everyone. Studies show that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. According to a study, about eighty percent of the plastic waste goes into the world’s seas and oceans, which simply means that it is somehow related to the use of humans. Not only this, according to the State of Global Air-2020 report, China and India are the top countries in the annual deaths due to air pollution. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand the importance of proper disposal of waste.
Today the problem of waste disposal remains an issue for many countries of the world. The situation is really worrying, especially in developing countries. In India also every state and local authority is grappling with the increasing production of waste and lack of effective waste disposal methods. In such a situation, if at least social functions are organized with accountability, then a big change can come. In our socio-family structure, it is customary to celebrate every special day as a function. Weddings are organized on a really big scale.
It is good that such events keep the society united. Nurture social relationships. What is worrying is that the gimmicky preparations associated with them and the growing culture of using ‘use and throw’ items are harmful to the environment. In this era of health-related problems, we have to understand that whether it is stifling air or polluted water. Environmental pollution affects our lives in one way or the other. In such a situation, our happiness should not be the reason for snatching its colours, that much should be done. On this front, at least the time of Corona disaster passed in resources is enough to make us understand the difference between wants and needs.
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