Ezone creates 'Electronic Ganesha'

Through a larger-than-life installation at Infiniti 2 Mall, Ezone attempts to build informed opinions and get people to spread the word about recycling e-waste.

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

During Ganesh Chaturthi, considered to be the festival of new beginnings, most consumer electronic brands woo customers by offering outrageous discounts along with 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'. Most people do so without even considering the environmental implications of their actions.

Considering the same, Ezone, an electronics store, along with DDB Mudra West, has created 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 has been on display at Infiniti 2 Mall, at Malad, Mumbai, since September 20.

The target group for this activation includes people across all demographics in Mumbai who are buying new electronics and looking for a way to discard old ones. As part of the activation, Ezone's staff will also be interacting with consumers and elaborating on this initiative to create awareness.

According to an August 2014
report by 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, two lakh tonnes of e-waste are being produced by just three cities - Delhi NCR, Bengaluru and Mumbai. A major chunk of this electronic waste is being handled by the unorganised sector operating from 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 water, turn the air toxic and cause substantial harm to animal and aquatic life in the process.

The E-Ganesha activation has generated quite a buzz on social media too. While the activity garnered more than 1,100 likes for installation on Facebook; it also generated 30 shares for the campaign. Meanwhile 10,531 people were present on the day of installation of E-Ganesha, claims Ezone.

Commenting on the initiative, Ashish Phatak, executive creative director, DDB Mudra West, says, "In a developing country like ours, progress shouldn't come at the cost of our environment. So, our E-Ganesha 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 old ones."

Mandheer Singh, chief marketing officer at Ezone, adds, "Today, we live in a world brimming with ever-changing technology. We also have a lot of hi-tech recycling organisations 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 minimise the perils of e-waste and highlight the importance of recycling; all this, while making new beginnings with an electronics purchase from Ezone."