Eco-Friendly Ideas to Brighten Up Your Diwali Celebrations

Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is one of the most popular and awaited festivals in every Indian household. The Diwali celebrations mark the triumph of good over evil and of right over wrong. The festival of Diwali is celebrated widely across Indian communities and it is also an auspicious occasion marked by family bonding, conversations, and thinking beyond oneself. To kickstart the Diwali celebrations, lamps are lit, sweets are made, shared, and savored, gifts are exchanged, good times are relished and relationships are nurtured. However, over the past few years, the real meaning of the Diwali celebration has changed a lot.

As the festivities spring into full glory, people hustle with shopping, which ultimately results in wasting time. As a result of all this chaos, the jam-packed roads leave a lot of harmful and poisonous particles in the air that further shoot up and contribute actively to the increasing air pollution. Rather than goodness prevailing over evil, there are signs of distress and anger on the things that we value- people, animals, and the environment. It’s high time that for a moment we take a pause, and give a thought about the far-reaching consequences of our actions on this day, and hopefully, we need to look for certain healthy and green ideas that will not only transform our Diwali celebrations but will also be able to create positive changes that will benefit everyone and lead to a brighter and a happier festival. To make your Diwali celebrations happier and merrier, we have listed down some unique and greenways to celebrate Diwali in an eco-friendly manner.

1. Use Oil Diyas Rather than Candles

You can use diyas multiple times as per your taste and preference, and it’s a safe choice for your Diwali celebrations since they are made from earth-friendly materials. If possible, don’t opt for the painted diyas as they have chemical colors smeared all over them hence, it is advisable to go for natural and eco-friendly diyas. Candles, on the other hand, are meant for only one-time use, they need energy in their creation, are petroleum-based, and also release harmful chemicals and toxins during burning and this can surely affect the air quality. Some of the commonly released toxins are- benzene, formaldehyde, and lead which are harmful to both humans, and the environment.

Related Article: Try These 5 Unique Diwali Gifts For Your Kids

2. Upcycle Your Home Decor

If you are planning to renovate your house for this year’s Diwali celebrations, we have an effective, and cost-friendly solution for you. You can resort to eco-friendly paint, for painting your houses rather than the normal paint as they don’t contain any harmful VOCs. You can also use some colorful sarees and dupattas to create streamers. Or you can wear your creative caps and paint old newspapers and them as wall decorations. You can ask your kids to assist you with creating beautiful and colorful lanterns.

To lend a traditional touch to your Diwali celebrations, you can make use of Bandhanwars or conventional door hangings that will welcome your guests with warmth and positivity. You can use your old and worn-out incandescent bulbs, and convert them into small flower vases. Moreover, you can also use organic incense sticks and fresh flowers to create an atmosphere of heady fragrance so that one can easily associate it with puja.

3. Make Beautiful and Colorful Rangolis

Did you know that back in the olden days, rangoli and kolam were a great way of sharing our food and life with birds and insects? Even to date, in villages of the south, the Kolam is made with either rice paste or dry rice flour and later it becomes a massive feast for ants and small birds. Make sure that the colors you use in your rangoli should be natural rather than chemically synthesized ones. You can also consider the option of using turmeric, coffee powder, and kumkum for yellow, brown, and red.

For further glorification, you can also make use of different flowers such as chrysanthemums, roses, lotus, and some leaves to brighten it further. This idea is not only eco-friendly but you can also clear it the next day and put it into your compost bin. Hence, it is advisable to make use of organic colors that are not only safe for your skin but also for the environment.

4. Exchange Hand-Made Gifts

This Diwali makes your celebrations extra special by lending a personal touch to your festivities. Exchange hand-made gifts with your friends and loved ones. Make use of your creative mind and you along with your family members can make and create beautiful Diwali cards and gifts for everyone. Hand-crafted gifts and cards are an excellent way to make your family and friends feel special. Diwali is also the time when you along with your family can explore some of the craft stalls and exhibitions that are usually set up by the NGOs and you can shop for various hand-made goodies and articles such as paper lamps, jute bags, decorative purses, hand-made paintings and a lot more.

5. Make Green Choices

If you are planning to host a Diwali party at your place, well this tip will surely come to your rescue. One of the easiest and perhaps the best way to stay environmentally conscious is by planting some green around your space. You can also consider the option of gifting air-purifying plants to your friends and family. With air pollution on the rise, these green plants will not only make for an adorable present but will also let your lungs breathe freely.

6. Switch to Biodegradable Tableware

Another way by which you can make your Diwali celebrations green is by replacing your plastic tableware with biodegradable and sustainable tableware options. You can go for sugarcane plates or banana leaf plates, and this will lend a traditional touch to your modern festive celebrations. Tableware made of plastic is not only good for the environment but also an unsafe option for human consumption. Hence, it is advisable to invest in a good quality biodegradable tableware range.

7. Say “No” to Crackers

With the air quality of India getting bad day by day, it’s high time that we humans realize our mistakes and take all the necessary steps to safeguard our environment. Hence, it is our responsibility to make sure that we don’t use crackers this Diwali. Well, many people believe that the festival of Diwali is incomplete without bursting crackers. But that’s completely wrong. Rather, you can take all the children of the community for nature walks and celebrate the festival of lights by lighting sky lanterns on the terrace or in an open space. You can also go one extra mile and fill up the balloons with glitter or small pieces of colored paper and spend the evening bursting them, hence, this will give your kids a cracker feel.