With Diwali just round the corner, you must be gearing up for the festival. By this time you must have cleaned your house, purchased gifts for everyone and decided on the decorations and the recipes that you would prepare to welcome your guests. We all know that Diwali brings in joy and excitement and the environment is filled with happiness. But have you ever thought that this celebration also brings with it lots of pollution and raises the levels alarmingly as we light firecrackers? Surely, it is your ignorance that keeps you aloof from thinking about your surroundings, but a little awareness is sure to make a huge difference.

This Diwali lets join hands together and celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly manner. To start with let’s understand how various items that we use cause harm to the environment. The fire crackers that we burn pollute the air, the artificial colors used for rangoli contain chemicals and the big and decorated sweet boxes and plates dumped here and there make the surroundings dirty. Pollutants like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide rises about 10 times more on the day of the festival. So, do you think this is the right way to celebrate a festival that causes pollution to our surroundings?

Simple ways of celebrating Diwali without harming our environment

Start with the clean-up:  Before Diwali, we all make sure that our house is clean and tidy. But this season take an oath not only to clean your house, but also to keep the surroundings clean. First, make two bags where you can keep recycling materials and the other that needs to be disposed. Gather unused clothes, books, toys and other stationery items and donate it among underprivileged children.  Gather the other materials like electronic items, plastics etc. and dispose them off safely.

Choose diyas instead of lights: You can purchase earthen diyas from street sellers instead of going to malls and purchasing costly lights. You can also buy designer diyas that are decorated with stones and beads from the local potters. This will help to maintain the traditional art of making earthen diyas and will also illuminate your home in an eco-friendly manner. Though it may be a bit expensive, but the decorated diyas can be reused again and again for decoration.

Say no to firecrackers: Bursting firecrackers are the worst thing to do as it pollutes the air and produce a high decibel sound that is harmful for all.  This increases the level of pollution and also adds to global warming. So, instead of burning crackers, you can choose some other alternatives to enjoy with your family.

Avoid using plastic boxes and plates:  Replace plastic sweet boxes with paper bags and eco- friendly boxes. Instead of using bubble wraps, colored plastic sheets that are non- biodegradable waste, choose to use paper sheets to wrap up gift items.

I hope this piece of writing will inspire you as well as others and you will take your first step to celebrate an eco-friendly Diwali. Help us save our environment today and keep our children safe tomorrow!

Wish You A Very Happy Diwali!