Tanvi Sontakke

STOP!

World over, children, patients, and others are paying an enormous price for climate change and pollution. It is estimated that by 2 030, 132 million people could be pushed into poverty by climate change, and almost half the world's children are at high risk from climate impacts.

For example, take India, where even literate people behave like illiterate ones, and the latter are no better either. They still think of pollution and global warming as fiction, harmless and to be taken lightly. These are the people who might read an article or blog like mine, and turn a blind eye as soon as they see "global warming" thinking, "the topic's so common in newspapers and magazines, what good will it do them to read another one, where the writer just rambles on about saving earth and preventing pollution, which is certainly not their cup of tea."

Delhi, the world's most polluted city, sits shrouded in smog, a black mole on India's face as seen from satellites. People and politicians alike stubbornly refuse to change their ways. This happens all over India, so it's nothing new. People blame the government for not taking actions about the pollution crisis, but they don't realize the pressure the government's already under! This leaves the matters in the hands of citizens, if only we consented to work together and look into the crisis.

Last year, when the behemoth known as Covid struck, it hindered Indians from bursting firecrackers on Diwali. But this year, everyone seemed to be taking revenge on the virus by blowing up firecrackers on Earth's face. When you try to make these people understand, they'll be like, "You're hurting our religious sentiments, it's Diwali for gods' sake! Let us enjoy!" and they'll wave you off for wasting their precious time from polluting.

One also thinks of uprooting the tree of firecrackers, the phataka shops, to stop people from bursting firecrackers altogether, but they'll be faced with harsh resistance from politicians and citizens because these shops contribute a lot to taxes and money for the government. As soon as the money starts flowing in, any average Indian starts drooling over it and forgets about everything else. Although bursting firecrackers has been banned in a few Indian states, the implementation has been very poor. Such is the condition in India.

We, humans, make big talks about cutting down fossil fuel usage, sign new agendas for preventing pollution, and hold summits (we've been doing that for a long time) but these responsibilities fall on blind eyes, deaf ears, and numb and corrupted minds.

So for those non-believers, I hereby present the effects and statistical outcomes of the predicament we're in:

  • First of all, many firecrackers still use traditional gunpowder, containing potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal, and a few oxidizers that are now replaced by perchlorates. These perchlorates cause hypothyroidism in children and adults alike. They also lead to thyroid cancer.
  • The smoke from the burnt charcoal and sulfur releases particulate matter, targeting those suffering from asthma and chemical sensitivities. Prolonged exposure can cause lung cancer.
  • The metallic compounds used in firecrackers to impart color and sparkle have adverse effects on the environment.
  • These effects, including water scarcity, fossil fuel combustion, burning trash and crops (as seen in Haryana and Punjab), melting of glaciers, and more, add on to global warming. Because of this:

    - Over 90% of children on Earth are now highly exposed to air pollution caused by fossil fuel combustion.

    - Over 820 million children and people are highly exposed to severe heat waves, worsening as the global average temperatures rise.

    - More than 920 million are highly exposed to water scarcity, which will intensify as climate change increases droughts, water stress, and competition for water.

    - 400 million children are prone to cyclones and flooding due to rising water levels and coastal flooding.

    - The Arctic is heating twice as fast as any other location on Earth, shrinking the Arctic sea by 14% per decade. Because of this, polar bears now face extinction.

    - Tigers have lost 95% of their habitats with sea level rise and heightened mangrove deforestation. African elephants face climate change drying their water resources and land because of human encroachment. They have lost 30% of their geographical range. Yet, they're still hunted every year for their ivory tusks.

The climate and pollution problem is not just a technological or a socio-economic problem, it's majorly a political one, largely driven by political leaders so focused on getting re-elected that they prioritize their interests and leave their left-over fortune for climate issues, which isn't much. Unaware people and politicians don't realize that today's children will have to deal with climate change for decades if we don't start solving the problem now. Every country needs aware and concerned leaders and youth, who can put their self-interests aside, and slowly start working on the issue. If this article/blog has actually made an impact on you, that's awesome, but if it hasn't, please forgive me for not trying harder to persuade you to Stop This Outrageous Pollution.