Don't Save Water on Holi-day

Holi the Indian festival of colors squirting colored water on passers-by, dunking friends in mud pool, etc. brings it's own charm each year in the same month when World-Water-Day (22nd March) is celebrated. 

Film industry refuses to ignore incorporating watery Holi-songs, one of the main ingredients of show-business, in a film even if a script may not permit it.

This time reeling under pressure of one of the worst drought years, there appears to be consensus for a 'holiday to using water on the Holi-day'.

Actress Juhi Chawla tells DNA: "To be honest I do plan to play Holi with kids & friends with water & safe colors."

Some others insisted on playing "dry Holi this year".

Who appears more sensitive is obvious based on above.

But that's the story half-told.

Actually Juhi's full comment in DNA newspaper was: "To be honest I do plan to play Holi with the kids and friends with water and safe colours. But why just Holi? I am conscious about water conservation all the time. And try to save water every day in my own little ways. I avoid running taps unnecessarily, and I get all leaks repaired instantly. I buy linen and clothes which can be used without frequent washing."

Doesn't Juhi appear to be more sensitive and sensible? Why?

Obviously because she appears to be committed to save water everyday.

Many a time even fragrance of such 'flavor-of-the-day' initiatives fades away by evening, leave alone (the 'flavor') rest 364 days.

Of course those were published thoughts. They could turn out to be filmy.

Material changes happen if thoughts are in action. Actions, not merely as gestures on 'flavor-of-the-day' in public but evident more frequently in private when no one is around to watch.

So a 'lesson' from film-star's comments is the commitment to 'Save-Water not-only-on Holi-day but Everyday'.

In absence of such a commitment to self, 'flavor-of-day' may not last beyond evening of the day. A typical maid might continue her love to bathe utensils under running tap. A typical male might continue to leave water tap ON during shaving. A typical female might continue to empty so-called 'stale' stocked-water in order to refill buckets when 'fresh' one 'arrives' at scheduled municipal timings.

One may test one's own commitment right away and salute self if results are affirmative.

Hats off to those who (for instance, may be reading this on their cell say while fetching a glass of water in a wedding hall or in a restaurant, do not feel ashamed of telling the bearer there to) fill their glass with just the amount of water that is going to be consumed.

While writing this post, so-called 'countdown to EARTH HOUR (23rd March at 20.30 hrs)' has 'begun'. Hats off to those who instead of waiting until 20.30 hrs head right away to 'Switch-off' an appliance if left 'ON' inadvertently without being used. Hats off to those who ensure that windows are fully open before heading to switch ON a fan. Power generation needs human activity, water and other resources. Salutation is because they are able to see direct or indirect linkage of almost every other human activity and it's wastage to that of water wastage. Hats off to those who do not ridicule if someone plays e-colors on e-photos instead of using water-colors in Holi.

Hats off to those who commit not to wait for such HOURS and DAYS to remind them to be conscious of a cause. Hats off to their commitment, not to allow thoughts to constipate by just being knowledgeable of 'zero-wastage' but to be the learned ones who make others learn by demonstrating 'an-action-a-day'.

One must experience the satisfaction one derives and the respect one earns in the eyes of her own mind by committing to 'Save Even-A-Drop At-Each-Opportunity, Each-day'.

Wish To Be Planet-Friendly?: Save!

It's a tough competition out there in market.

Good for the customer who is expected to get better quality and better delivery.

But does s/he get it at better price?

Not always, because innovative marketeers have learnt to intelligently 'differentiate' their deceptively pricey 'offers' in order to make the comparison difficult and also to prevent their customers running away to the competition's 'low-cost' and rarely 'high-quality' offers. Sometimes they resort to  'predatory pricing' so low for a limited period of time that competitors get wiped out by then.

Other day I read about a housing complex being 'differentiated' as a 'Sports City' and another one promising to bring home 'Europe' and it's 'use-&-throw' life-style.

What happens if the offers are (low-in-value, in other words are) prohibitively pricey under the disguise of promising a differentiated offer?

Customer might get monitorily wiped out over a period of time if s/he 'falls' for (each of) such wasteful 'differentiations' and 'offers'. Not to mention the mental agony if 'differentiating' features such as 'Olympic-style swimming pool' inside the complex or 'Man-made-beach' there becomes dyfunct with 'dead-trees' around.

So what to do?

No one would want to interfere in one's policy-matter if one goes for buying 'differentiation'. But fact of the matter is to learn to 'differentiate' among so-called 'offers' as: the ones that offer quick-superficial results and the ones that offer long-term value focussed towards needs rather than wants.

Or else find out innovative cost-effective alternatives that not only serve functional (rather than fictional) needs but also reduce consumption expenditure.

For instance, if one finds 'differentiated offer' in picture (lemon being the differentiator) as a value-offer then alongwith it why not leave left-over lemon peels in wash-basin intentionally that could additionally serve as an alternative disinfectant. Similarly why not use orange peels for a quick hand-wash or as a natural skincare tool for a face-wash before considering an 'offer' of a synthetic-cosmetic product's "Look fair in a couple of days" kind of promise. 

Actually consumerism has been pushing both the suppliers and customers away from many such grand 'grand-motherly' solutions that are not only 'eco-friendly' but are also capable of value-adding to one's life if-not-to (life-)style.

Isn't it good to be an eco-sensible and planet-sensitive consumer?

Isn't it good to make a difference by 'being' different rather than falling for want-based differentiations?

Isn't it good to Save-On-Something (S.O.S.) to Save Planet And Life?