[the_ad id=”6076″]
Diwali is a festival that celebrates togetherness. It is rejoiced across different Indian communities and is widely celebrated across the globe. Diwali is the triumph of good over evil and of right over wrong.
Over the recent years, this auspicious day has created a negative impact on the environment. A little tweak to the Diwali celebration can make a huge difference.
Here is how to celebrate an eco-friendly Diwali:
- Use oil diyas and LED Lights instead of candles:
Diyas can be used more than once according to our requirements, and they are made of earth-friendly material. Avoid using the painted diyas as they have chemical colors smeared over them. So, it is recommended to go for natural eco-friendly diyas.
Candles are for one-time use. Petroleum-based candles release toxins that affect the air quality. The harmful toxins in candles are benzene, formaldehyde, and lead which is harmful to human and environmental health. Instead of candles, you must choose electric illumination such as LED lamps or Diwali lights.
- Use natural colors:
Rangolis and Kolams are a huge part of Diwali celebrations. Pretty and colorful designs make our house look beautiful. Synthetic colors are unhealthy and dangerous for the environment and can cause serious health issues.
You must either choose rangoli colors made using flowers or use eco-friendly colors. You can also choose colourful grains over chemical-based colours. Organic colors are safe for your skin as there are no toxic chemicals involved.
- Upcycle your home decor:
You must resort to eco-friendly paint instead of normal paint as they don’t contain harmful VOCs. You can also use ideas such as twisting colorful sarees and dupattas to embellish your homes. Using craft materials such as tissues, and rice paper to make paper lanterns for home decoration is also environment friendly. Avoid the use of glitters as they are an example of microplastics.
Using organic incense sticks and fresh flowers is also recommended for eco-friendly Diwali decorations.
- Say no to firecrackers:
Although many eco-friendly firecrackers have begun to flood the market and are less polluting, but they aren’t completely environment friendly. So this Diwali, give fireworks a complete miss. Instead, you can celebrate this festival of lights by lighting sky lanterns. This will be a great idea to enjoy the festival without any noise pollution.
- Go organic:
During festivals, we usually express our happiness by exchanging gifts and sweets. This Diwali, go organic by gifting organic gifts to your friends and family. There are numerous options available in the market such as organic soaps, creams, organic teas, spices, gourmet ice creams, or coffee. You can choose eco-friendly gifts like eco-friendly Diwali hampers and go soft on nature. This is a great way to start celebrating eco-friendly Diwali and inculcating new gifting habits.
One must also avoid wrapping their gifts as generally the materials used in wrapping the items involves plastic and it is a harmful to the environment.
- Using biodegradable utensils:
During the festival season, many people organize parties in their homes. Therefore, instead of using plastic-coated disposable crockeries/thermocol crockeries, you should use crockeries made up of paper, steel and copper. The metal ones can be reused and paper and plant-based materials make many options for biodegradable crockeries. Plastic crockeries are not easy to decompose and it is not advisable to use these for the sake of the environment.
Conclusion:
By incorporating the above-mentioned ideas, you can contribute to making your Diwali eco-friendly. We know that any form of change is not easy, especially when it is time to celebrate the party to the fullest.
It is time we must recognize the predicament and prepare a way by which we can make a healthy and environmentally balanced world. This helps in maintaining and upholding a better and safe society. Celebrate an eco-friendly Diwali this year and do your bit in restoring the stability of the environment.
