Why should our celebrations create hell for others?

We love to celebrate! Birthdays. Weddings. Anniversaries. Festivals. Poojas.

I often wonder - where does all the trash from a celebration go?

Does a human kid's birthday bring about an animal baby's death day?

Or does a rich nation's kid's birthday pollute a poor nation's kid's every day?

Does our joy make someone else's life hell?

Does it all come back to us and how? After all - what goes around, comes around!

After Party

"Just a plate

And just a spoon 

Just a bottle

And just a balloon

Just a bag

And just a party popper

Just a box

And just a candy wrapper

I'll put in a trash bag

And send them away

Where do they land?

Can't think - have had a busy day!

It can become a sea creature's food

Mistaken for a prey

Or get entangled in its neck

As it tries to swim away

A feathered creature 

Might proudly hop around

Pleased with herself 

On having a shiny morsel found

Or 

It will sail in a container 

To a far away stead

Where a wasteful nation's filth 

Is paraded as poor man's bread

Young kids scavenge

Through mounds of trash

Drinking leached water

Breathing polluted air

Oh that sounds so horrible!!

But it's so, so far away

I won't think about it

And everything will be ok?

What matters right now is 

Here and now

My guests have been pleased

And my kid's day has been wow!

No-brainer Tips for Saving Water at Home

Water - 

Enjoy while it lasts.

Because it won't last long!

Tips to save water at home:

1. Bottoms up - Finish that glass of water. Take what you want. Then finish it. Practice it at restaurants, at a party, anywhere, everywhere.  Tip - Fill a reusable bottle for the day and you can sip as much or as little as you want without bothering about leftover. 

Finish all you take!

2. Leftover water - If you or the guests haven't read the first tip, take a rap on the knuckles. Say ouch and move on to the saving grace. Pour water from disowned bottles and glasses in potted plants, lawns, trees etc. If you're not in the mood to make a trip to your garden, collect it in an assigned bucket and make the trip later. If you don't have a garden or pots, use it for cleaning.

3. Collect after-rinse water - When washing fruits, veggies, pulses, rice, etc. place a container below the colander. Collect this water to:

• water plants
• rinse dishes before loading the dishwasher or piling them for household help
• clean sinks, shower areas...you get the drift

5. Use a bucket - When having a shower, cleaning the car, doing laundry by hand try to limit the use of water by filling a bucket and managing the task with that. Running water gets very wasteful, very fast.

4. Optimise usage - Run washing machine and dishwasher only when full. Choose the shortest cycle. 

6. TURN. THE. TAP. OFF - When brushing, shaving, taking shower - when you really don't need water in those in-between times, turn it off!

Thank you for turning it off!

Little things add up. Multiplier effect, you know. 

Plus you never know who all you end up inspiring:) Your gestures send out a message.....so keep at it, Earthlings....or Waterlings! We all know that 70 percent of Earth is water. I read somewhere that going by this fact, the Earth should have been called Water! Interesting thought, isn't it!

Picture credits: Pixabay