Make your Diwali greener with these Eco-friendly festive tips

It is that time of the year and we are getting all decked up to celebrate Diwali with much fanfare. Diwali means the same old ritual, lights, relatives, family time and sweets. Why not do something different this time? Why not celebrate responsibly?

This Diwali, we bring you some amazing eco-friendly ideas so you celebrate but responsibly.

Dig in!

Say no to crackers

As unoriginal as this might sound, not bursting crackers is the right thing to do. On a very practical note, you save money, environment and animals. That’s killing three birds with one stone, not literally though. According to a recent IPCC report, with the current rate of pollution and human interference, Earth is going to have floods, food shortages and wildfires by 2040. Do we want this to happen? Definitely not. Firecrackers contribute to smog and smoke and can cause serious health ailments.

The noise and sparks of crackers can scare pet animals like dogs and cause them stress. The most common effects of noise on dogs are fear, excessive salivation, loss of appetite, aggressive behaviour and defecation. Now think of all the cute dogs you’ve ever seen. Do we want this to happen to these poor creatures? No, right!

Say no to plastic bags

Diwali means shopping. Whether it is festive shopping or running errands, the number of plastic bags used increases. How casually do we accept/ask for a plastic bag from the shopkeepers! This should be avoided at all costs. Plastic causes soil erosion and suffocation. Every year thousands of marine animals die from plastic ingestion and entanglement. Scientists believe that by 2050, there will be more plastic than marine creatures in the ocean. Do we want to float in a sea full of plastic? No, right!

Plastic is everywhere and though we can’t completely quit plastic, we can find alternatives to it. You can use cotton bags and jute bags, these are washable, can be used multiple times and are biodegradable. One cotton bag can save you hundreds of plastic bags.

Spread joy by sharing

Not everyone is as privileged as we are. There are people who can’t afford a meal a day let alone celebrate Diwali. It is our moral responsibility to think about the underprivileged. Sharing food and sweets can make this Diwali happy for them. Giving away leftover food, sweets and clothes minimise food wastage. A simple act of kindness doesn’t cost you much.

Use LED lights

LED lights can go a long way in saving energy and helps in cutting down unnecessary electrical expenses. They are made of Gallium Phosphide that provides high reliability at low energy. LED lights are 80% more efficient than conventional lightings such as incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Less energy use means less greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, LED lights contain no toxic elements, unlike other traditional lights that contain mercury. So there’s absolutely no chance of pollution when disposed off in a landfill.

EcoRight wishes you a very happy Diwali. Stay green, stay safe and celebrate responsibly.

EcoRight

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