Holi, Save Water!

Colorful festival, Holi, is about to visit soon. Holi is commemorated on the full moon day of the month of Phalgun. Festivities bring a lot of excitement among people, young and old. From splashing colors at each other with pichkaris to drenching passersby with showering water balloons, and even the thrill of pouring a bucketful of water on an unsuspecting neighbor still sleeping, we know it all about Holi—the festival of colors and water.

However, this year, the bucketful of water will come at an unparalleled cost. This year too, after two successive years of poor monsoon, India does not have that kind of water left. The water table is going down day by day; hence, we all should minimize or completely stop the wastage of water. On Holi, we use all the water without a care. This year, when World Water Day is on 22 March, falling just nine days ahead of Holi, it is an apt moment to nip in the bud wastage of water during the festival of colors.

This Holi, then adds color not only to your celebrations but also to the world around you saving water. Here are some key points to keep in mind this Holi:

• Create Awareness: Reiterate to your friends about the importance of water conservation on the Holi day. Share social media posts that inform people about saving water.
• Be an Example: Be the change you want to see in the world. Conserve water and make your family and friends do the same.
• Use Eco-Friendly Colors: Use organic colors which do not harm your skin as well as the environment. These make lesser use of water while washing off.
• Organize Community Events: Go out to your locality and organize events that can be held to celebrate Holi while saving water. Encourage the rest of the populace to join this movement.
• Promise: It may sound simple, but make a personal commitment to save water during Holi. Share with your friends. Motivate others to make a commitment too.

While people promise to save water, many of them waste it nevertheless. Playing Holi is a daily affair in offices, colleges, schools, cricket grounds, or an ordinary roadside in India. It is, thus, imperative that every drop of water counts, and we can make a difference by pulling together to conserve this resource for Mother Nature.

Let the Holi be the festival of colors and gaiety but at the same time account for water conservation. Make those terrific moves to make sure your future generation enjoys this glorious festival without the sound of water scarcity going along with it.

Cool Idea to Save Water with GingerCup

The GingerCup team has found an even cooler way of saving water on Holi this year. And with whatever reason or just because, paper cups, especially the disposable ones, are a rage nowadays. Starting from office pantries to college canteens, tea vendor stalls, to coffee shop take-away counters, they line the shelves everywhere. Their versatility has made them ubiquitous, but we can also use them creatively to save water during the festivals.

Here’s how you can save water with GingerCup during this Holi:

• Measure Your Water: You can use a paper cup as a measuring agent to the amount of water you wish to use in playing Holi. It helps you monitor your usage and saves you from waste simultaneously. A standard paper cup holds about 120 ml of water, that makes it a perfect tool for this purpose.
• Limit Your Usage: After you have filled your paper cup, keep that as the limit. Do not go on refilling and overdo it. This will make you save a great quantity of water besides enriching your Holi celebration.
• Eco-Friendly Choice: Paper cups filled with water are more environment-friendly than those in buckets. It inspires the correct usage of products and reduces an otherwise environmental hazard caused by overabundance of water usage.
• The One Cup Rule: Ask your friends and family to practice the ‘one cup rule.’ Each person can play Holi with just one cup of water. Such a practice would result in a community and a sense of responsibility.
• Be a Role Model: If one uses paper cups to play Holi then he or she becomes a role model. Give them your experience and keep urging them to join this movement that saves water during the festival.

The splashing of water during the festival of Holi is an essential ritual, but this need not be performed at the cost of our water resources. A little creative conscious effort can definitely make us able to enjoy the festivities while still protecting the environment.

Onto “let the color flow, not the water.” Happy Holi, play it dry, and water wisely. Simple strategies can be made to advance a sustainable future while we celebrate our very colorful festival of colors.

Final Thoughts

Holi: A very vibrant festival, bringing along merriment, oneness, and joy. Water, however, is also a resource that needs to be conserved to protect it. So let’s make this year a cause of collaboration to do Holi sustainably and mindfully.

• Embracing Environment-Friendly Practice: Try to embrace environmental-friendly ways of Holi practice. Use natural colors and save water for you to take part in helping protect the environment.
• Word of Mouth: Share your passion for saving water with your friends and family. Involve them in helping you make a difference.
• Alternatives: Look for creative alternatives through which you can enjoy your old merry celebrations without using much water. You can use dry color powders or participate in other cultural activities that will not require much water use.
• Be Resource Conscious: Always be mindful of resources used. Every action, no matter how small, will make a lot of difference if taken by the many.
• Celebrate Responsibly: Celebrate Holi with joy and responsibility; after all, the essence of Holi is love, joyous togetherness, and respect for our environment.

Together, we can bring a huge difference and a beautiful Holi by making our water resources safe. Happy Holi to all with the colors, happiness, and responsibility for one’s celebrations.