Diwali, the festival of lights, is a celebration that marks the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. However, in recent times, this festival of contentment and positivity has become a means of polluting and causing distress to the environment in the name of celebration. The festival slowly but surely is becoming a problem for the environment and it is high time that we should recognize the predicament and prepare a roadway by which we can make a healthy and environmentally balanced world. So here are some ways in which you can make this Diwali a green and eco-friendly one!
1. Use Smoke-Free Diyas
Diwali is no doubt the festival of lights and we all know it is difficult to resist the urge to buy those beautifully decorated Diyas that are available in the market. Hamari Asha, an NGO, makes Diyas which are smoke-free and made out of Soy Wax to prevent any pollution or residue. You can definitely opt for them. In place of diyas, you can also go for LED lights or earthen lamps which you can pretty much find in any market.
2. Use natural colours for rangoli
Chemical colours may seem appealing but try designing a rangoli using natural colours and there’s no going back to the chemical rangoli colours ever! You can use different coloured pulses, fresh flowers, bright yellow turmeric and red kumkum! Pulses and turmeric can also later be consumed by birds and other animals which prevents any wastage. Another alternative is to opt for herbal colours.
3. Upcycle your house decor
Every year we are tempted to go out and buy the pretty decoration and trinkets to decorate our homes with. But this year, you can instead use things lying around the house to make your own decorations. For instance, you can use old newspaper to make your own paper lanterns and use buttons and beads to decorate them. It’s a great way to channel the artist in you and is also contributing to a bigger cause. Isn’t that a win-win?
4. Say no to crackers
We have seen the amount of pollution there is in the air post-Diwali. In fact, India has seen some of the most highly polluted days in forever in the last couple of days. So, this Diwali lets all say no to crackers.
And if you must absolutely burst some crackers or have kids in your house who insist on doing so, you can go for the eco-friendly crackers which the government along with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have recently launched. These include flowerpots, pencils, sparklers and chakkaris and have reduced emission.
5. Organic gifts
Diwali is all about giving and receiving gifts. While you have no control over the gifts you receive, but you sure can start a trend of giving organic gifts.
A number of brands have now started making organic and environment-friendly gifts and purchasing your Diwali gifts from these brands will not only give you a sense of pride but will also spread awareness among your loved ones and the ones who receive these gifts.
You can shop for gifts from brands like Ecohoy, Eco Choice and Tree Wear which do eco-friendly goods and do your bit for the environment this festive season! Also, make it a point to wrap your gifts in old newspaper or put them in jute bags etc.
Let us know how are you going to celebrating a green Diwali this year.
