The spirit of Deepavali arrives even before the actual festival. It all starts with cleaning our homes, literally, every corner of it, discarding what's not needed, and at times even painting the entire house.
On the festive day, people usually string mango leaves and tie them on their doors; fresh flowers are used to decorate homes, and some also use banana trees for decoration. Not to forget the beautiful rangolis outside each house, made to welcome Goddess Laksmi (the Goddess of prosperity and wealth).
So, if you see, mango leaves, fresh flowers, cotton or jute thread, banana trees, and rangoli ingredients (traditionally rice flour, turmeric, and other ingredients usually available in the kitchen were used) are all biodegradable and eco-friendly.
So, why are we even talking of an eco-friendly Diwali when it already is?
Well, Diwali, also called Deepavali and celebrated for thousands of years, was an eco-friendly festival and can be if we make conscious choices. But of late, numerous mass-produced products have flooded the market, which is taking a toll on our planet.
In this article, we'll share practical tips and alternate product ideas to make your Diwali eco-friendly.
After all, shouldn't even the planet feel happy when it's festival time? 😊🌎
Contents
1. Switch to Eco-Friendly Cleaning Essentials
It's Deepavali time, and cleaning our homes is a must.
So, while you are at it, why not make the first switch?
We aren't suggesting throwing away the cleaning products you already have. Completely use them first. But when buying newer ones, switch to eco-friendly cleaning essentials.
Now that you know the differences, here are some eco-friendly picks loved by numerous conscious shoppers.
Eco-friendly Floor Cleaner
Loved by hundreds of conscious shoppers, the Just Mop Floor Cleaner by Herbal Strategi is made using active plant extracts and aromatic oils. It's cruelty-free and safe for babies and pets.
Eco-friendly Surface Cleaner
Kitchen, living room, or bedroom - multiple surfaces but just one all-surface eco-friendly cleaner for that spotless shine. What more? PureCult is plastic-neutral, toxin-free and also cares for our furry friends! 🐶❤️
2. Say a Big NO to Single-Use, Non-Biodegradable Decoration Items
Our ancestors have been celebrating Deepavali much before plastic was invented. Yet, they could decorate their homes beautifully and, in many cases, better than what many of us do today.
Why spoil this beautiful festival with plastic and other non-biodegradable items when there exist much better options?
Let’s Start with Rangoli
Rangoli's vibrant colours and aesthetically appealing design vows the onlookers. Go ahead and make it this Deepavali, too, but avoid using the toxic colours which are widely available.
Instead, head to your kitchen. The solution lies there. Rice flour and turmeric, to name a few, and if you want your rangoli to be extra colourful, use flower petals; they are both eco-friendly and biodegradable.
But if you really want to use colours, give preference to herbal/natural ones.
Here's a well-rate herbal colour for rangoli you can check out:
Elegant Entrance
Diwali without that plastic toran (decorative items hung on the door) at the entrance can be beautiful, too!
Don't believe us.
Check the following image.
Isn’t it beautiful?
Made with just flowers, leaves and threads. And yes, an abundance of creativity!
As we said, your home's entrance this Deepavali can be both festive-appropriate and eco-friendly.
And if you want some ready-to-use, eco-friendly toran, here are 2 options worth looking at:
Primary material: Natural paddy grains
Primary material: Metal
Decorate Your House
Now that you are done with rangoli and decorating your home's entrance, it's time to deck up your house.
There's nothing better than flowers for this. Get various types of flower strings and let your creativity run loose!
Also, you can add some eco-friendly Diwali decoration items for that finishing touch.
Primary material: Paper
Primary material: Paper
3. Thumbs up to Better Pooja Essentials
Probably the soothing smell of jasmine, rose, and sandalwood agarbattis (incense sticks) is common in your household as well. They are part of day-to-day life for many.
At present, the market is flooded with agarbattis that contain harmful ingredients like charcoal and sulphur. These, when burned, may impact health adversely.
But what if there were toxin-free agarbattis made using safe ingredients, just as they were in the good old days?
Well, innovative minds are in plenty in India, and their innovations are making our world a better place, bit by bit.
Here are a few incense sticks that are toxin-free and well-suited for your Deepavali pooja!
Made with flowers used at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple! 🛕
7 types of fragrance, 1 thing in common - No Toxins. 🚫
Diyas for Brighter Diwali
Diwali without diyas is unthinkable, and rightfully so. After all, it's the festival of light.
When buying diyas, avoid the ones coated with harmful paint or other decorative items like plastic beads. Instead, give preference to simple diyas made of natural materials like clay.
We recommend buying them from your local market, but if that isn't possible for varied reasons, here are a few you can check online.
Contains cow ghee and comes in ready-to-use condition.
Perfect to brighten up your Diwali hassle-free. 🪔
If you’d like a little DIY time with your family, diyas like this are a great pick!
Your Actions Matter
When it comes to pollution, the general tendency is to blame the authorities.
No doubt, authorities are both responsible and answerable, but does that mean we totally neglect our basic duties?
Every action of our matters.
That small act of avoiding plastic straws matters.
The decision to switch from fast fashion to sustainable fashion matters.
Similarly, this Deepavali, your decision to choose eco-friendly products over the ones laden with toxins matters.
Each of us has the power to be eco-warriors and make tomorrow better through conscious actions today.
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