Ezone India + DDB Mudra West create E-Ganesha to spread awareness of e-waste re-cycling

Apart from being a time for nationwide celebrations, the festive season marks the onset of a shopping frenzy. From dream homes being booked, new cars being taken out for test drives to shops buzzing with customers, it’s the time of the year when people are less conservative and opt to readily spend their money.

Starting with Ganesh Chaturthi – the festival of new beginnings – most consumer electronic brands take pains trying to woo customers by offering outrageous discounts. And the promise of a better future with their new appliances. However, with every new purchase, there are old electronic goods that become useless and are speedily dispatched to the waste bins of kabadiwalas (old goods merchants). Most people do so without even considering the environmental implications of their actions.

According to an August 2014 report by the industrial body ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India), increased usage of gadgets and appliances is creating nearly 13 lakh tonnes of e-waste annually in India. Of that figure, 2 lakh tonnes of e-waste is being produced by just three cities – Delhi NCR, Bengaluru and Mumbai. A major chunk of this electronic waste is being handled by the unorganized sector operating out of worn-out factories, which leads to environmental pollution and health hazards. They do not have the adequate means to handle the increasing quantities and generally employ crude and primitive methods for dismantling and recycling, like acid stripping and open air incineration.

These processes release numerous lethal components that cause medical conditions like cancer, asthma, bone diseases and brain diseases thus posing a major threat to human life. Besides, the toxins poison the water, turn the air toxic and cause substantial harm to animal and aquatic life in the process. On the plus side, there are certain institutions that take pride in proper disposal of electronic waste.

Ashish Phatak, Executive Creative Director, DDB Mudra West (pictured left) said, “In a developing country like ours, progress shouldn’t come at the cost of our environment. So our eGanesha is an excellent initiative to inculcate recycling electronics as a habit. And the festive season is the best possible time to raise awareness about the hazards of e-waste when people are buying new electronics and junking their old ones.”

Mandheer Singh, Chief Marketing Officer at Ezone believes, “Today we live in a world brimming with ever-changing technology. We also have a lot of hi-tech recycling organizations in our cities, doing a very good job of managing e-Waste. Which is why this Ganesh Chaturthi, we have joined hands with our customers to minimize the perils of e-Waste and highlight the importance of recycling. All this while making new beginnings with an Electronics purchase from Ezone.”

Ezone is doing so through a larger than life installation of Ganesha made from old electronic appliances that were exchanged for new goods by consumers. The purpose of this installation is to not only ask people to celebrate new beginnings, but to gift their old electronics a new beginning as well, keeping in line with the spirit of the festival. Considering most people aren’t even aware of an urgent need to recycle e-waste, Ezone attempts to build informed opinions and get people to spread the word. The installation is on display at Infiniti 2 Mall at Malad from 20th-27th September. The Ezone staff will also be interacting with the public and elaborating on this initiative to create awareness about the issue.

By understanding their responsibility as a major player in the consumer electronics sector, Ezone promises to see through a device’s lifecycle, from its sale to its usage period, right up to how it is disposed. Thereby holding true to its brand philosophy of – Together. Forever.

Credits –

Production House: Loki Studios, Vishal Sane