Given the growing concern over climate change and global warming, more and more green initiatives are being undertaken by different organisations across the planet. Recently, the acclaimed international environmental NGO Earth Day Network (EDN) hosted a first-of-its-kind Green Puja Bazaar at Kolkata’s South City International School cafeteria, keeping the imminent festive fervour in mind. Stressing on its ongoing “Go Organic” campaign, Neela Majumdar, the project development manager of EDN ascribed the exhibition as part of the same awareness drive.
“The idea was to focus on the merits of a diverse range of natural and organic products and to deepen the general consciousness about it,” she said of the noble endeavour.
While most premium brand labels operate on-line, buyers can also place orders for home delivery at the doorstep besides shopping on the net.
Some even sell out through supermarkets and retail stores.
The pocket-pinch being cheaper than the usual markets, the rack-raiders were only too happy to flash out their wallets with every purchase being made at the counter. The complete product-line varied from user-friendly to wearable to beautifying items at the kiosks. An assortment of both daily-utility goods and aesthetic artefacts was arranged in perfect order to lure in crowds from eight to 80.
Vishal Jalan, MD of Aricha Spices and Casa Puro infers that “there is a growing demand for indigenous Indian products, especially the spices. Artificial flavouring and aroma enhancement of farm produce with fertilisers, pesticides, colours and chemicals can cause serious health hazards. A lot of the old, unsold surplus stuff gets stacked in cold storages and tampered with preservatives and additives to extend its shelf-life which only does more harm than good to the purchasers. As a result, nerve-related disorders and other ailments easily stem up to heckle the human body.”
The brand displayed a row of valuable organic spices like turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander, ginger, garam masala and curry powder, besides generous amounts of brown rice, amla candy, jaggery and honey.
“We have had our regular customers trickling in, multiplied by a huge footfall of faces who were sincerely interested in embracing the wholesome green activities,” he chips in.
Greenpeace activists always maintain that nothing is never enough to offset the negative effects of environmental contamination. One would even vouch for a research-oriented survey conducted by the British Medical Association which clearly cites that we are daily consuming close to a bulk of two kgs’ artificial food additives.
“The immediate benefit of organic eating is that it immensely improves digestion, eliminates the unwanted toxins leading to major health issues and retains the full nutritional value of food when consumed, which is otherwise eroded by a chunk of certain synthetic elements mixed with the edibles. Thus, pure, unadulterated fruits, nuts, spices are the need of the day,” suggests a food expert.
The soil is anyway rich with nutrients and minerals. So why destroy it by concocting chemical inputs with it, he further defends his case.
