A few years ago, 23-year-old Jai Mishra, who watched his grandmother worry about the constant sound of firecrackers, decided not to set them off.
His resolve continues to this day and every Diwali, he not only buys firecrackers, but campaigns in his family and friends to either stop bursting or reduce the number of crackers.
“I have seen a number of harmful effects of firecrackers on human health, including the elderly and children. After reading a few news reports, I also realized the adverse effects of firecrackers on the environment, which made me want to ditch them altogether,” said Mishra.
It’s not just him, several Gen Zs are worried about their surroundings and the people around them, so they stay away from bursting their crackers.
Aanya Mishra, 15, said that from time to time she does research on climate change, global warming and pollution.
“If we, as ordinary people, do not refrain from engaging in activities that cause pollution, we will reduce the quality of life. Furthermore, the bursting of crackers is not related to history or culture, but is promoted as part of a marketing tactic. The supply of crackers depends only on the demand in the market. If we stop buying them completely, we can maintain air quality even after the festive season is over,” Mishra said.
Similarly, 23-year-old Nikita Pahva said she stopped exploding firecrackers altogether after adopting stray dogs in the area.
“Every Diwali, I find my baby dogs scared and worried about the noise and air pollution caused by firecrackers. I am saddened that even birds and squirrels are hard to find after a few days of the festival. It is time to understand the importance of living together. They have the right to live like us,” Pahva said.
Ananya Sharma, 14, also stopped buying crackers after reading about Greta Thunberg and Sonam Wangchuck’s climate change campaigns. “I believe that the idea of promoting environmental protection should be inculcated among children from the very beginning so that we can have clean air to breathe and better living conditions around us,” said Sharma.