A few years ago, watching his grandmother, disturbed by the constant noise of firecrackers, Jai Mishra, 23, decided not to burst them.
His resolve continues to this day and every Diwali, he not only does not buy firecrackers, but also campaigns to his family and friends not to burst or reduce the number of crackers.
“I have seen some harmful effects of fireworks on human health, including on the elderly and children. After reading some news, I also realized the adverse effects of firecrackers on the environment, which made me quit them completely,” said Mishra.
It’s not just him, but some Gen Zs are worrying about their surroundings and the people around them, that’s why they’re distancing themselves from the exploding firecrackers.
Aanya Mishra, 15, said that from time to time she had studied climate change, global warming and pollution.
“If we as ordinary people do not stop ourselves from engaging in activities that cause pollution, we are degrading the quality of life. Besides, bursting crackers is not related to history or culture, but is being promoted as part of marketing tactics. The supply of crackers is only due to market demand. If we stop buying them completely, we can maintain air quality even after the festive season is over,” said Mishra.
Similarly, Nikita Pahwa, 23, said she stopped bursting firecrackers completely after adopting stray dogs in the locality.
“Every Diwali, I see my baby dogs getting scared and worried because of the noise and air pollution caused by firecrackers. I’m sorry that even the birds and squirrels are hard to find for a few days after the festival. It is high time we understand the importance of coexistence. It is as much their right to live as it is ours,” said Pahwa.
Ananya Sharma, 14, also stopped buying crackers after reading about Greta Thunberg and Sonam Wangchuk’s climate change campaigns. “I believe that the idea of promoting environmental conservation should be promoted in children from the very beginning so that we have clean air to breathe and better living conditions around us,” said Sharma.