B'luru gears up for Independence Day celebrations, here’s how we can help

Sowmya Raju | NT

Bengaluru: As every Indian across the world will be celebrating our Independence this August 15, the celebration across Bengaluru has already started with shops selling everything tricolour starting with flowers, rangoli powder, flags, badges, banners, and so on.

While it is a proud day for everyone, it is important to keep in mind to celebrate the 76th Independence Day sustainably.

Cambridge Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, is celebrating Independence Day with zero waste where they will be providing nonplastic flags to everyone and distributing desi sweets without the plastic covers.

Nayana Premnath, an environmentalist who lives a zero-waste lifestyle said, “We can try and avoid using balloons while decorating for Independence Day.”

While balloons add a colourful display of patriotism, they are also a major source of pollution that can end up in our oceans or landfills. Nayana suggests that we can use decorations made with tricolour cloth, paper or flowers.

There are a number of green events happening in Bengaluru around Independence Day. These events celebrate our independence while also raising awareness about sustainability issues.

There are many other non-sustainable materials that are commonly used in Independence Day celebrations, such as plastic plates, cups, and utensils. These materials can take hundreds of years to decompose, and they can end up in landfills or in the environment, where they can pollute waterways and harm wildlife.

Nalini Shekar, cofounder and executive director of Hasiru Dala advises, “If you are planning to have an event for Independence Day like most apartments and communities do, consider using reusable or compostable utensils and plates.”

She also suggested we can avoid using flags just one time and use reusable cloth-made flags instead.”

The Beautiful Bharat community in Bengaluru has launched a campaign to encourage people to celebrate a plastic-free Independence Day. The campaign invites people to come up with ideas for eco-friendly decorations that can be used instead of plastic.

Saaket, a 12-year-old boy, urges for Conscious Celebrations that honour our nation without harming our planet. In a video shared on social media, he says, “Dear PM Narendra Modi, let no tricolour balloon go up into the sky this August 15. Please!”

Nalini Shekar added, “With just a few simple steps and being a little more conscious, we can make any event zero waste that will have a big positive impact.”

Independence Day is a time to celebrate our freedom and independence. But it is also a time to reflect on the challenges that we face as a country, including climate change and environmental degradation.