Celebrating an Eco-friendly Diwali
Diwali is celebrated to mark the victory of good or evil, knowledge over ignorance & light over darkness. The festival of lights is celebrated across all the communities & creates a homogeneous environment of goodwill & happiness. Celebrating an Eco-friendly Diwali is the need of hour.
Avoiding crackers or choosing green crackers over the other options can help in reducing noise and air pollution hazards.
Things to ponder: celebrating an Eco-friendly Diwali
1. Earthen/Clay lamps:
Decorate home with “earthen lamps or diyas” instead of electrical/Chinese diyas. Earthen lamps need oil for illumination, but the pollution is negligible.This reason supports the spread of bacteria and insects which are not good for health. The fire of diya and the chemicals it releases in air kill the germs. It also cuts down the electricity bill. The beauty of the house also gets enhanced by these lamps/diyas.
2. Eco-Friendly Traditions:
Use bio-degradable tableware/banana leaves to serve the guests. This way you can add a traditional touch to this festive season. Earthen glasses/shikoras can be used instead of plastic glasses to add ethnic feeling.
3. Go Organic this Diwali:
Gift organic products to your near and dear ones. You can gift organic items like soaps and creams, tea, coffee, spices, gourmet ice creams, bags, jewellery, decorative items, paintings, handicraft items, etc. It also expresses your love and care for the environment. Distribute sweets or any other food in reusable containers or paper bags. Avoid Plastics to make your neighbourhood litter free.
4. Use of Handmade wrapping paper:
Wrap the gifts with handmade/newspapers. Wrapping the gifts with colourful cloth or jute will give ethnic look.
5. Gift Plants:
Better to gift plants. There are a number of ornamental plants available in the market. Good for you and environment.
6. Cut down on crackers with other fun options:
Buy only eco-friendly crackers instead of chemical crackers. Eco-friendly crackers are made up of recycled paper. The sound produced by these crackers is as per the defined limits of the Pollution Board.
7. Limit Your Celebration:
Fix the time of Celebration say from 10 PM till midnight. Care for new born babies, toddlers and senior citizens. They are at high risk of health hazards linked to excessive noise and air pollution. Diwali is the time to seek blessings from the elderly and show affection to babies.